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Acta veterinaria Scandinavica2018; 60(1); 69; doi: 10.1186/s13028-018-0425-1

A prospective study on insect bite hypersensitivity in horses exported from Iceland into Switzerland.

Abstract: Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an IgE-mediated dermatitis caused by bites of Culicoides spp., which occurs frequently in horses imported from Iceland to continental Europe. IBH does not occur in Iceland because Culicoides species that bite horses are not present. However, Simulium vittatum (S. vittatum) are found in Iceland. In Europe, blood basophils from IBH-affected horses release significantly more sulfidoleukotrienes (sLT) than those from healthy controls after in vitro stimulation with Culicoides nubeculosus (C. nubeculosus) and S. vittatum. Aims of the study were: (I) using the sLT release assay, to test if horses living in Iceland were sensitized to S. vittatum and (II) to determine in a longitudinal study in horses imported from Iceland to Switzerland whether the sLT release assay would allow to predict which horses would develop IBH. Results: Horses in Iceland, even when living in high S. vittatum areas, were usually not sensitized to S. vittatum or C. nubeculosus. Incidence of IBH in the 145 horses from the longitudinal study was 51% and mean time until IBH developed was 2.5 ± 1 year. Before import and after the first summer following import, there were no significant differences in sLT release between the endpoint healthy (H) and IBH groups. After the 2nd summer, when the number of clinically affected horses increased in the endpoint IBH group, a significantly higher sLT release after stimulation with C. nubeculosus but not with S. vittatum was observed. After the 3rd and 4th summer, the endpoint IBH group had a significantly higher sLT release with C. nubeculosus and S. vittatum than the endpoint H group. Some of the horses that remained healthy became transiently positive in the sLT release assay upon stimulation of their peripheral blood leucocytes with C. nubeculosus. Conclusions: Horses in Iceland are not sensitized to S. vittatum. In horses that develop IBH, sensitization to S. vittatum is secondary to sensitization to C. nubeculosus and probably a result of an immunological cross-reactivity. A sLT release assay cannot be used to predict which horses will develop IBH. A transient positive reaction in the sLT release assay observed in horses that remained healthy suggests that immunoregulatory mechanisms may control an initial sensitization of the healthy horses.
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Publication Date: 2018-11-03 PubMed ID: 30390694PubMed Central: PMC6215642DOI: 10.1186/s13028-018-0425-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research article focused on investigating the occurrence of insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), a skin inflammation caused by Culicoides spp. bites, in horses exported from Iceland to Switzerland. The study concluded that horses in Iceland had not been sensitized to common insects in the region and their susceptibility to IBH when relocated could not be predicted using existing tests.

Study Context and Objective

In this study, the authors sought to understand the incidence and mechanism of Insect Bite Hypersensitivity (IBH) in horses that are moved from Iceland to Switzerland. The Culicoides spp., which are present in Europe but not in Iceland, are the main cause of IBH. Another insect, Simulium vittatum (S. vittatum), is found in Iceland and researchers used its presence to carry out what is known as an sLT release assay on horses living in Iceland. The main objectives were:

  • To test if horses in Iceland were sensitized to S. vittatum
  • To see if the sLT release assay could predict which horses would develop IBH after being exported to Switzerland

Study Methods and Results

A total of 145 horses were included in this longitudinal study. The researchers found that horses living in Iceland, even in high S. vittatum areas, tended not to be sensitized to S. vittatum or C. nubeculosus. Over the course of the study, it was found that the incidence of IBH was 51%. The research showed that it took about 2.5 years on average for the horses to develop IBH after moving to Switzerland. Importantly, the sLT levels did not differ significantly between the healthy and IBH groups after the first summer in Switzerland, but they did rise significantly in the IBH group after the second summer.

Study Conclusions and Implications

The major finding of this study is that horses in Iceland are not initially sensitized to S. vittatum and that they develop sensitivity to this insect only after developing IBH, possibly as a result of immunological cross-reactivity. Interestingly, a few of the horses that remained healthy also showed a transient positive in the sLT release assay, which suggests the presence of some regulatory immune response. This has significant implications on the management and control of IBH in imported horses. Despite these observations, the authors concluded that the sLT release assay is not reliable for predicting which horses would develop IBH after moving from Iceland to Switzerland.

Cite This Article

APA
Torsteinsdottir S, Scheidegger S, Baselgia S, Jonsdottir S, Svansson V, Björnsdottir S, Marti E. (2018). A prospective study on insect bite hypersensitivity in horses exported from Iceland into Switzerland. Acta Vet Scand, 60(1), 69. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13028-018-0425-1

Publication

Acta veterinaria Scandinavica
ISSN: 1751-0147
NlmUniqueID: 0370400
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 60
Issue: 1
Pages: 69
PII: 69

Researcher Affiliations

Torsteinsdottir, Sigurbjörg
  • Institute for Experimental Pathology, Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Keldur, Keldnavegur 3, 112, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Scheidegger, Stephan
  • Department of Clinical Research & VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-str 124, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
  • Mobile Pferdepraxis, FA Osteopathie GST, Oberdettigenstrasse 50, 3043, Uettligen, Switzerland.
Baselgia, Silvia
  • Department of Clinical Research & VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-str 124, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
Jonsdottir, Sigridur
  • Institute for Experimental Pathology, Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Keldur, Keldnavegur 3, 112, Reykjavik, Iceland.
  • Department of Clinical Research & VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-str 124, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
Svansson, Vilhjalmur
  • Institute for Experimental Pathology, Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Keldur, Keldnavegur 3, 112, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Björnsdottir, Sigridur
  • Agricultural University of Iceland, Hvanneyri, 311, Borgarnes, Iceland.
Marti, Eliane
  • Department of Clinical Research & VPH, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-str 124, 3012, Bern, Switzerland. eliane.marti@vetsuisse.unibe.ch.

MeSH Terms

  • Allergens / immunology
  • Animal Migration
  • Animals
  • Ceratopogonidae
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / immunology
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / veterinary
  • Female
  • Horse Diseases / blood
  • Horse Diseases / immunology
  • Horses
  • Iceland
  • Immunoglobulin E / blood
  • Insect Bites and Stings / immunology
  • Insect Bites and Stings / veterinary
  • Longitudinal Studies
  • Male
  • Prospective Studies
  • Simuliidae
  • Switzerland

Grant Funding

  • BBS/E/I/00007039 / Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
  • 310000-116803 / Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Fu00f6rderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung

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Citations

This article has been cited 9 times.
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