A multicenter case-control study of risk factors for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.

This research investigates possible risk factors for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a neurological disease in horses, by examining horses at 11 referral hospitals across the United States. The study suggests that a presence of cats, the age of the horse, and certain competitive activities may affect the likelihood of a horse developing EPM.

Research Methodology

• The study adopted a case-control approach with 183 horses diagnosed with EPM, 297 horses with other neurological diseases, and 168 horses with non-neurological diseases.
• A data form was completed for every horse participating in the study for comprehensive documentation.
• Bivariate and multivariate polytomous logistic regression were used to compare data between the case group and each of the control groups. This sort of analysis is a useful way to identify relationships between different variables.

Research Findings

• The study found that horses with EPM were more likely to be older than 2 years compared to horses with other neurological diseases. This finding suggests that age could be a risk factor for developing EPM.
• Horses with a history of cats residing on the premises showed a higher likelihood of developing EPM compared to those with other neurological diseases. This suggests that cats could be involved in the transmission or cause of EPM, though further studies would be required to confirm this.
• Compared to horses with non-neurological diseases, horses used for racing or Western performance were more likely to develop EPM. This suggests that certain types of activities or training environments could be risk factors for EPM.

Research Conclusions

• Results from the study suggest that cats may have a role in the epidemiology of EPM. However, this is merely an association, so further research is required to ascertain the nature and extent of this relationship, whether it is causal or otherwise.
• The study also indicates that the disease is less common among horses younger than 2 years relative to other neurological diseases, suggesting that younger horses may inherently be at a lower risk of developing EPM.
• Furthermore, horses used for particular types of competition may be at an increased risk for EPM. This finding could be used to inform strategies to mitigate the risk of EPM in competitive horses.