A retrospective analysis of environmental risk factors for the diagnosis of deep stromal abscess in 390 horses in North Central Florida from 1991 to 2013.
Abstract: The purpose of this investigation was to identify potential environmental risk factors for the diagnosis of equine deep stromal abscesses (DSA) in the subtropical climate at the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center (UFVMC). Methods: Cases included were selected from the UFVMC medical record and imaging database, and included all cases of equine DSA diagnosed during the period from December 1991 to December 2013 in patients residing in north central Florida. Patient date of diagnosis and atmospheric data was obtained for north central Florida for the corresponding time period. Univariate and multivariate general linear models were generated testing effects and interactions between environmental conditions. Results: When year, sulfur dioxide (SO2 ) and wind were analyzed in the presence of each other, a one-mile per hour increase in wind (P = 0.005) significantly increased the number of DSA cases by 1.63 cases per year. When the influence of temperature was evaluated in conjunction with year and nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), the number of cases decreased by 0.1534 per year for every degree increase in temperature (°C) (P = 0.039). Conclusions: Wind speed is the first significant atmospheric risk factor to be identified for DSA formation in the horse. The importance of environmental variance in the incidence of DSA indicates that the pathogenesis of DSA formation may be multifactorial, interdependent and provides support in some horses for the micropuncture hypothesis of DSA formation related to the involvement of environmental conditions causing precorneal tear film and epithelial damage.
© 2015 American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.
Publication Date: 2015-07-27 PubMed ID: 26215543DOI: 10.1111/vop.12297Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research paper conducts a retrospective analysis of environmental risk factors for deep stromal abscesses (DSA) in horses in North Central Florida from 1991 to 2013. The paper identifies wind speed as a significant atmospheric risk for DSA formation and a variance in diagnosis when considering the impact of temperature and atmospheric conditions.
Methodology
- The study includes cases selected from the medical record and imaging database at the University of Florida Veterinary Medical Center. The cases are those of equine DSA diagnosed during December 1991 to December 2013.
- The patient’s date of diagnosis and atmospheric data for North Central Florida during the corresponding time period was obtained.
- Univariate and multivariate general linear models were used to test the effects and interactions between environmental conditions.
Results
- When considering the year, sulfur dioxide (SO2), and wind simultaneously, the research found that an increase of one mile per hour in wind significantly increased the DSA cases by about 1.63 times per year. This illustrates the wind as a significant environmental factor influencing DSA cases in horses.
- Additionally, the number of DSA cases decreased by 0.1534 per year for every degree Celsius increase in temperature. This result was observed when the influence of temperature was analyzed along with the year and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
Conclusions
- The research identified wind speed as the first significant atmospheric risk factor for DSA formation in horses.
- The study suggests that the pathogenesis of DSA formation may be multifactorial and interdependent. This could mean that multiple environmental factors could have an interplay in causing DSA in horses.
- The variations in DSA incidences due to environmental factors lends support to the micropuncture hypothesis. This hypothesis proposes that DSA formation may be related to environmental conditions causing damage to the precorneal tear film and epithelial layers, leading to DSA development in some horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Proietto LR, Plummer CE, Maxwell KM, Lamb KE, Brooks DE.
(2015).
A retrospective analysis of environmental risk factors for the diagnosis of deep stromal abscess in 390 horses in North Central Florida from 1991 to 2013.
Vet Ophthalmol, 19(4), 291-296.
https://doi.org/10.1111/vop.12297 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- SACS, University of Florida, 2015 SW 16th Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA.
- Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, PO Box 100101, Gainesville, FL, 32610-0101, USA.
- Small Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, PO Box 100101, Gainesville, FL, 32610-0101, USA.
- Chronic Disease Research Group, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
- LACS, University of Florida, 2015 SW 16 Avenue, Gainesville, FL, 32608, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Abscess / veterinary
- Animals
- Eye Diseases / epidemiology
- Eye Diseases / microbiology
- Eye Diseases / veterinary
- Florida / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horses
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Factors
- Seasons
- Weather
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Tahoun A, Elnafarawy HK, Elmahallawy EK, Abdelhady A, Rizk AM, El-Sharkawy H, Youssef MA, El-Khodery S, Ibrahim HMM. Epidemiological and Molecular Investigation of Ocular Fungal Infection in Equine from Egypt. Vet Sci 2020 Sep 8;7(3).
- Mustikka MP, Grönthal TSC, Pietilä EM. Equine infectious keratitis in Finland: Associated microbial isolates and susceptibility profiles. Vet Ophthalmol 2020 Jan;23(1):148-159.
- Hardefeldt L, Thomas K, Page S, Norris J, Browning G, El Hage C, Stewart A, Gilkerson J, Muscatello G, Verwilghen D, van Galen G, Bauquier J, Cuming R, Reynolds B, Whittaker C, Wilkes E, Clulow J, Burden C, Begg L. Antimicrobial prescribing guidelines for horses in Australia. Aust Vet J 2025 Dec;103(12):781-889.
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