{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T01:12:30Z","timestamp":1790298750535,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":36,"publisher":"American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA)","issue":"10","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["javma"],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2010,11,15]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n<jats:p><jats:bold>Case Description<\/jats:bold>\u2014A 12-year-old Thoroughbred was examined because of signs of depression, neck stiffness, and poor performance.<\/jats:p>\n<jats:p><jats:bold>Clinical Findings<\/jats:bold>\u2014Physical examination revealed that the horse was dull, appeared depressed, was reluctant to raise its neck and head above a horizontal plane, and had a temperature of 38.5\u00b0C (101.3\u00b0F). No radiographic or scintigraphic abnormalities of the neck were found; however, high plasma fibrinogen concentration and relative lymphopenia were identified and the horse was seropositive for antibodies against <jats:italic>Borrelia burgdorferi<\/jats:italic>. Analysis of CSF revealed neutrophilic inflammation, and results of a PCR assay of CSF for <jats:italic>B burgdorferi<\/jats:italic> DNA were positive. Immunologic testing revealed severe B-cell lymphopenia and a low serum IgM concentration consistent with common variable immunodeficiency.<\/jats:p>\n<jats:p><jats:bold>Treatment and Outcome<\/jats:bold>\u2014The horse responded well to do\u00d7ycycline treatment (10 mg\/kg [4.5 mg\/lb], PO, q 12 h for 60 days) and returned to normal exercise. However, 60 days after treatment was discontinued, the horse again developed a stiff neck and rapidly progressive neurologic deficits, including severe ataxia and vestibular deficits. The horse's condition deteriorated rapidly despite IV oxytetracycline treatment, and the horse was euthanatized. Postmortem examination revealed leptomeningitis, lymphohistiocytic leptomeningeal vasculitis, cranial neuritis, and peripheral radiculoneuritis with Wallerian degeneration; findings were consistent with a diagnosis of neuroborreliosis.<\/jats:p>\n<jats:p><jats:bold>Clinical Relevance<\/jats:bold>\u2014Nervous system infection with <jats:italic>B burgdorferi<\/jats:italic> should be considered in horses with evidence of meningitis and high or equivocal serum anti-<jats:italic>B burgdorferi<\/jats:italic> antibody titers. Evaluation of immune function is recommended in adult horses evaluated because of primary bacterial meningitis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.2460\/javma.237.10.1180","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2010,11,15]],"date-time":"2010-11-15T08:03:41Z","timestamp":1289808221000},"page":"1180-1185","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":56,"title":["Meningitis, cranial neuritis, and radiculoneuritis associated with Borrelia burgdorferi infection in a horse"],"prefix":"10.2460","volume":"237","author":[{"given":"Frances M.","family":"James","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Julie B.","family":"Engiles","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jill","family":"Beech","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1272","reference":[{"key":"ref1","series-title":"Equine internal medicine","first-page":"545","author":"Reed","year":"2003"},{"key":"ref2","series-title":"J Am Vet Med Assoc","first-page":"114","article-title":"Common variable immunodeficiency in three horses with presumptive bacterial meningitis","volume":"227","author":"Pellegrini-Masini","year":"2005"},{"key":"ref3","series-title":"J Am Vet Med Assoc","first-page":"1296","article-title":"Kohn CW, et al. 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