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. 2018 Feb 22;32(2):617–632. doi: 10.1111/jvim.15042

Table 2.

Serologic tests for Borrelia burgdorferi exposure in horses.

Test Laboratory Antibody Targets Interpretation Pros Cons
ELISA, IFAT
(Serum, CSF, joint fluid)		 U. Conn. Vet. Diag. Lab.
Also available at other labsa

  • Whole cell lysate from cultured Bb

  • Quantitative; results expressed as antibody titer

  • Positive results must be confirmed by WB

  • Cross‐reactions could occur with antibodies against other Borrelia or spirochete spp. or against flagella

  • Will not differentiate vaccinal versus natural exposure antibodies

  • Identify broad range of antibodies against Bb proteins

  • Quantitative

  • Increasing levels may indicate active infection

  • Require second confirmatory test (WB)

  • Cross‐reactivity is a concern

  • Provide no information regarding infection stage or vaccination status

  • Vaccination will affect results
WB
(Serum, CSF, joint fluid)		 U. Conn. Vet. Diag. Lab.
Also available at other labsa

  • Whole cell lysate from cultured Bb

  • Antigens separated by molecular weight

  • Qualitative; band pattern visually (subjectively) interpreted

  • Can give qualitative information regarding vaccination status and infection stage

  • Identifies broad range of antibodies against Bb proteins

  • Can elucidate infection stage and vaccination status

  • Labor‐intensive, subjective interpretation

  • Non‐quantitative results
Equine Multiplex Assay
(Serum and CSF)—not synovial fluid		 AHDC, Cornell University Three recombinant antigens:

  • OspA, OspC, and OspF

  • Quantitative; results expressed as median fluorescent intensities (MFIs)

  • Anti‐OspA antibodies—vaccination and/or infection; correlate to antibodies detecting the 31 kDa band on WB

  • Anti‐OspC antibodies—early infection; correlate to antibodies detecting approximate 22 kDa band on WB

  • Anti‐OspF antibodies—chronic infection; correlate to antibodies detecting 29 kDa band on WB

  • Detection of low level antibody (pg/mL)

  • Potentially elucidates infection stage and vaccination status

  • Quantitative

  • Increasing levels may indicate active infection

  • False negatives might occur due to genetic variation in OspC

  • Experimental infection studies in horses confirming antibody kinetics have not been published

  • Dilutional linearity not reported
SNAP4Dx
(Serum, plasma, or anti‐coagulated whole blood)		 IDEXX

  • Synthetic peptide (C6) that mimics specific Bb antigen (IR6, a highly conserved protein of VlsE)

  • Qualitative; color development visually (subjectively) interpreted

  • Positive results indicate natural exposure, not vaccination

  • Anti‐C6 antibodies correlate to antibodies that detect the 39 kDa band on WB

  • Inexpensive, easy to perform in clinic

  • Rapid results

  • Good agreement with Multiplex OspF and WB

  • Vaccination status unlikely to affect results

  • Subjective interpretation

  • Non‐quantitative results in horses

AHDC, Cornell, Animal Health Diagnostic Center, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine; Bb, Borrelia burgdorferi; U. Conn. Vet. Diag. Lab., Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, University of Connecticut; ELISA, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay; IFAT, indirect fluorescent antibody test; IR, immunodominant region; Osp, outer surface protein; VlsE, Vmp‐like sequence, expressed; WB, Western blot.

a

Quality control might vary between different laboratories.