Retrospective Study on Seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi Antibodies in Horses in Minnesota

To determine the seroprevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi antibodies in horses in Minnesota, the database of the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Minnesota, was searched over a 10-year period (May 2001 to May 2010). A total of 1,260 equine serum samples submitted by 112 veterinary clinics were tested using an indirect fluorescent antibody test. Samples with titers of ≥1:320 were considered positive. The average rate of seroprevalence was 58.7%, indicating high exposure of horses to B burgdorferi in Minnesota. Our results indicate that borreliosis should be considered as a differential in cases of horses with undiagnosed musculoskeletal or neurologic disease.