Seroprevalence of vector-borne diseases in horses: first report from Northern Bulgaria

Serological Evidence of Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Ehrlichia Spp. Infections in Horses from Southeastern Bulgaria

Lyme Borreliosis and granulocytic anaplasmosis are less extensively studied in horses than in dogs and humans. Equine ehrlichiosis is not known in Europe and is in the initial stage of investigation in South, Central, and North America. The aim of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of these infections in Bulgaria. A total of 155 horses were investigated from five regions in Southeastern Bulgaria. Horses were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Ehrlichia spp. antibodies by a commercial rapid ELISA test. B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum antibodies were found in all five regions (Burgas, Sliven, Stara Zagora, Haskovo, and Kardzhali) at frequencies of 36/155 (23.2%; 95% CI: 16.8–30.7%; ranging by region from 6.4% to 50%) and 31/155 (20%; 95% CI: 14–27.2%; ranging by region from 10% to 30.8%), respectively. Antibodies against Ehrlichia spp. were found in horses from three regions (Burgas, Stara Zagora, and Haskovo) at a rate of 6/155 (3.9%; 95% CI: 1.4–8.2%; ranging by region from 5.7% to 6.4%). The combination of B. burgdorferi/A. phagocytophilum (11/155; 7.1%; 95% CI: 3.6–12.3%) was the most common coexposure observed, followed by B. burgdorferi/Ehrlichia spp. (2/155; 1.3%; 95% CI: 0.2–4.6%) and A. phagocytophilum/Ehrlichia spp. (1/155; 0.6%; 95% CI: 0–3.5%). The study shows that horses in Bulgaria are exposed or coexposed to three tick-transmitted zoonotic bacterial species. Furthermore, it reports Ehrlichia spp. seroreactivity in equines in Europe.