Dogs as sentinels for Lyme disease in Massachusetts

Area of Science:

• Veterinary epidemiology
• Infectious disease ecology
• Public health surveillance

Background:

• Lyme disease is a significant public health concern.
• The role of domestic animals, specifically dogs, as sentinels for Lyme disease risk in humans has been investigated.
• Understanding the relationship between canine Borrelia burgdorferi (B. burgdorferi) seroprevalence and human Lyme disease incidence is crucial for effective disease control.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between incident human cases of Lyme disease and B. burgdorferi seroprevalence in dogs.
• To determine if dogs can serve as sentinels for Lyme disease risk in human populations.
• To identify risk factors associated with canine seropositivity for B. burgdorferi.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 3011 canine serum samples using ELISA for B. burgdorferi antibodies.
• Acquisition of records for incident human Lyme disease cases from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
• Regression analyses correlating human Lyme disease incidence with canine seroprevalence, incorporating factors like altitude, sampling date, and dog demographics (age, sex, breed).

Main Results:

• Canine seroprevalence was a strong predictor of human Lyme disease incidence (R2 = 0.86, p < .0001).
• Logistic regression identified significant risk factors for canine seropositivity, including lower altitudes (<200 feet), sporting or large mixed breeds, and age over two years.
• Dogs meeting these criteria were significantly more likely to be seropositive, indicating higher exposure risk.

Conclusions:

• Estimating B. burgdorferi antibody prevalence in dog populations provides a sensitive, reliable, and convenient measure of environmental risk to humans.
• Identifying risk factors for canine seropositivity can offer insights into the epidemiology of human Lyme disease.
• Dogs can serve as valuable sentinels for assessing and managing Lyme disease risk in endemic areas.