Expanded Hematologic Characterization of Leukocytic Response to Borrelia burgdorferi in Local Canines
University
Shawnee State University
Major
Biomedical Sciences
Student Type
Undergraduate Student
Presentation Types
Oral Presentation (Live)
Keywords:
Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, canine immunology, white blood cells
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, elicits complex immune responses in canines that are not fully characterized. This study builds on prior work by analyzing leukocytic changes in an expanded sample size of local dogs. Blood samples were screened using the ELISA SNAP 4Dx test, followed by preparation of stained blood smears and hemocytometer-based WBC quantification. Lyme-positive dogs exhibited higher average total white blood cell counts, primarily driven by increases in neutrophils and monocytes, consistent with an active innate immune response. Lymphocyte levels showed moderate elevation, suggesting concurrent adaptive immune activation, while eosinophils and basophils remained within expected ranges. Despite these trends, overlap between groups indicates that WBC counts alone lack diagnostic specificity. These findings support the use of hematologic data alongside serologic testing in the clinical assessment of canine Lyme disease.
Human and Animal Subjects
yes
IRB or IACUC Approval
yes
Faculty Mentor Name
Ryan Powell
Faculty Mentor Title
Associate Professor, Dr, DVM
Faculty Mentor Department
Natural Sciences
Recommended Citation
Heimbach, Lyndsay, "Expanded Hematologic Characterization of Leukocytic Response to Borrelia burgdorferi in Local Canines" (2026). Celebration of Scholarship. 3.
https://digitalcommons.shawnee.edu/cos/2026/daythree/3
Expanded Hematologic Characterization of Leukocytic Response to Borrelia burgdorferi in Local Canines
Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, elicits complex immune responses in canines that are not fully characterized. This study builds on prior work by analyzing leukocytic changes in an expanded sample size of local dogs. Blood samples were screened using the ELISA SNAP 4Dx test, followed by preparation of stained blood smears and hemocytometer-based WBC quantification. Lyme-positive dogs exhibited higher average total white blood cell counts, primarily driven by increases in neutrophils and monocytes, consistent with an active innate immune response. Lymphocyte levels showed moderate elevation, suggesting concurrent adaptive immune activation, while eosinophils and basophils remained within expected ranges. Despite these trends, overlap between groups indicates that WBC counts alone lack diagnostic specificity. These findings support the use of hematologic data alongside serologic testing in the clinical assessment of canine Lyme disease.