Regional and Local Temporal Trends of Borrelia burgdorferi and Anaplasma spp. Seroprevalence in Domestic Dogs: Contiguous United States 2013–2019
Abstract
In 2019, in the United States, over 220,000 and 350,000 dogs tested positive for exposure to Anaplasma spp. and Borrelia burgdorferi, respectively. To evaluate regional and local temporal trends of pathogen exposure we used a Bayesian spatio-temporal binomial regression model, analyzing serologic test results for these pathogens from January 2013 to December 2019. Regional trends were not static over time, but rather increased within and beyond the borders of historically endemic regions. Increased seroprevalence was observed as far as North Carolina and North Dakota for both pathogens. Local trends were estimated to evaluate the heterogeneity of underlying changes. A large cluster of counties with increased B. burgdorferi seroprevalence centered around West Virginia, while a similar cluster of counties with increased Anaplasma spp. seroprevalence centered around Pennsylvania and extended well into Maine. In the Midwest, only a small number of counties experienced an increase in seroprevalence; instead, most counties had a decrease in seroprevalence for both pathogens. These trends will help guide veterinarians and pet owners in adopting the appropriate preventative care practices for their area. Additionally, B. burgdorferi and A. phagocytophilum cause disease in humans. Dogs are valuable sentinels for some vector-borne pathogens, and these trends may help public health providers better understand the risk of exposure for humans.
Authors
Jenna R. Gettings 1*, Stella C. W. Self 2, Christopher S. McMahan3, D. Andrew Brown3, Shila K. Nordone4 and Michael J. Yabsley 1,5*
1Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, Department of Population Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
2Arnold School of Public of Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
3School of Mathematical and Statistical Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, United States
4Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences, Comparative Medicine Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, United States
5Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States