SEROLOGIC SURVEY FOR ANTIBODIES TO BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI IN SHEEP, GOATS AND DOGS IN CORDILLERA PROVINCE, BOLIVIA

A serosurvey for antibodies to Borrelia burgdorferi using an enzyme-li nked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was conducted on sheep, goat and dog serum samples collected in Cordillera Province, Bolivia, in 1992. Sera from 98 sheep, 218 goats and 43 dogs were tested. The observed seropr evalence in sheep and dogs was 0.0%, whereas the seropositivity rate f or goat serum samples was 5.0%. Upon analysing 10 positive sera by Wes tern immunoblotting, five reacted against the specific protein antigen s and all of them met the criteria for positivity on the basis of immu noglobulin G (IgG) bands, indicating that goats in Cordillera Province were exposed to B. burgdorferi. These findings, which are further pro of of the existence of B. burgdorferi infection in Bolivia, indicate t he serologic analysis of goats as a suitable tool for Lyme borreliosis surveillance.