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Tissues from Dutch family dogs symptomatic for borreliosis according to established criteria and from infected but asymptomatic dogs were tested for Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato DNA using a polymerase chain reaction. Subsequently, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto, B. garinii, B. afzelii, and B. valaisiana were identified by hybridization. Symptomatic dogs showed a higher prevalence of Borrelia in liver samples (9 of 15) than asymptomatic dogs (9 of 43) p = 0.0049. Overall, B. garinii was the most prevalent species and occurred together with up to three other species in on liver sample. B. burgdorferi sensu stricto however, was predominantly detected in samples of synovial membranes, skin, cerebrospinal fluid, bladder, heart, and bone marrow. Nine out of 10 symptomatic dogs with a very high antibody titre were positive for Borrelia DNA by PCR in one or more of these tissues. We conclude that dissemination in naturally infected European dogs occurs and that the two most prevalent species, B. burgdorferi sensu stricto and B. garinii, differ in their tropism.

The prevalence of Borrelia species infection was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 138 ticks collected from dogs which were walked regularly in the wooded areas near the city of Eindhoven, the Netherlands. The PCR amplified the spacer region between the 5S and 23 S rRNA genes, and the Borrelia species was identified by hybridization with specific probes. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato was present in 20 of 138 (14.5%) ticks. Four species were identified: B. burgdorferi sensu stricto (n = 8), B. afzelii (n = 4), B. garinii (n = 2), and B. valaisiana (n = 2). One PCR product was non-typeable. Three ticks contained more than one species, all including B. burgdoferi sensu stricto, and one tick even contained four species. There was a significant difference (P < 0.05) in prevalence of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto between non-engorged ticks (either questing or attached) and semi-engorged ticks, 12% (10 of 85) and 2% (1 of 53), respectively.