Lyme Disease is a disease caused by a spiral-shaped bacterium, Borrelia burgdorferi. Which of the following can become infected?

• A. Birds & wild animals
• B. Horses & cattle
• C. Dogs & cats
• D. All these

Answer: (D)

Lyme disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi can infect a wide range of vertebrates because the tick that transmits it feeds on many different species and some animals act as reservoirs in nature. This means infection is possible in birds and wild mammals, in horses and cattle, and in dogs and cats. In dogs, Lyme disease is a common concern with signs like arthritis and fever; horses and cattle can be exposed and may show signs or simply become seropositive; cats can also be infected, though it's less commonly diagnosed; birds can carry infected ticks and become infected themselves. Because every listed group can acquire the infection through tick bites, all these groups are susceptible.