An epidemiological study of summer eczema in Icelandic horses in Norway.
Abstract: A survey of summer eczema was conducted on 391 Icelandic horses in Norway. The study showed a prevalence of summer eczema of 17.6 per cent in the horses investigated. Icelandic horses born in Norway where shown to be less affected with summer eczema than imported horses, 8.2 per cent and 26.9 per cent respectively (P less than 0.001). There was no difference in the prevalence of summer eczema relative to gender or colour of the horse. The number of horses affected with summer eczema rose with increasing age and the number of years which had elapsed since importation. On average, Icelandic horses born in Norway developed summer eczema at the age of 5.3 years. The onset of disease for imported horses was, on average, 4.1 years after importation. The study also revealed that a significantly greater number of horses imported from Iceland to Norway during the period October to April, which has a minimal or low activity of insects (32.3 per cent), had developed summer eczema, compared with horses imported during the period May to September, when insects are more active (16.7 per cent), (P = 0.044). Horses with summer eczema were shown to be significantly more affected by respiratory disease than non-affected horses (P = 0.0086). The most common sites and clinical signs of summer eczema are also described.
Publication Date: 1991-07-01 PubMed ID: 1915231DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1991.tb03721.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research article presents a study that investigated the prevalence of summer eczema among Icelandic horses in Norway, showing that the condition was found in 17.6% of the examined horses. Factors such as age, time since importation, and time of year the horse was imported did have an impact on prevalence, while gender and color of the horse did not.
Research Design and Methods
- The study surveyed 391 Icelandic horses in Norway to analyze patterns of summer eczema, a skin condition often caused by insect bites.
- Various factors were considered such as the horse’s origin (whether born in Norway or imported), age, time since importation, and the category of horse (based on the color and gender).
- The study also compared the prevalence of this disease in horses imported during the periods October to April and May to September, representing times of low and high insect activity respectively.
- Additionally, the study explored the correlation between respiratory disease and summer eczema in the horses involved.
- The common sites and clinical signs of summer eczema were also studied.
Key Findings
- 17.6% of the horses examined were found to have summer eczema.
- Norwegian-born Icelandic horses were less likely to develop summer eczema than imported ones, with rates of 8.2% and 26.9% respectively. The difference was statistically significant.
- Gender and color of the horse were found not to have an influence on the occurrence of summer eczema.
- The prevalence of the skin condition increased with age and time since importation. Norwegian-born horses typically developed the disease at around the age of 5.3 years, while imported horses showed symptoms an average of 4.1 years post-importation.
- A significantly (32.3%) higher prevalence of summer eczema was observed in horses imported during the period of low insect activity (October-April) compared to those imported during high insect activity periods (May-September, 16.7%).
- Horses affected by summer eczema also experienced a significantly higher rate of respiratory disease than non-affected horses.
- The researchers also identified the most common physical sites and clinical signs of summer eczema.
Implications and Conclusions
- The findings suggest that the conditions under which Icelandic horses are imported to Norway and the age at which these horses are imported could significantly impact the likelihood of them developing summer eczema.
- There was also a positive correlation identified between the manifestation of summer eczema and respiratory diseases in these horses which points towards a need for potential further research.
- Such findings provide valuable insight to horse breeders, owners, and veterinarians for understanding the risk factors of summer eczema and could instigate improved measures in regards to the import timing and age, as well as further examination of the link between respiratory disease and summer eczema.
Cite This Article
APA
Halldórdsóttir S, Larsen HJ.
(1991).
An epidemiological study of summer eczema in Icelandic horses in Norway.
Equine Vet J, 23(4), 296-299.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1991.tb03721.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Oslo.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Ceratopogonidae / immunology
- Dermatitis, Atopic / epidemiology
- Dermatitis, Atopic / veterinary
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horses
- Housing, Animal
- Hypersensitivity / epidemiology
- Hypersensitivity / veterinary
- Iceland
- Norway / epidemiology
- Prevalence
- Seasons
- Surveys and Questionnaires
Citations
This article has been cited 9 times.- Simonin EM, Torsteinsdóttir S, Svansson V, Björnsdóttir S, Freer H, Tarsillo J, Wagner B. Early allergen introduction overrides allergy predisposition in offspring of horses with Culicoides hypersensitivity. Front Immunol 2025;16:1654693.
- Simonin EM, Wagner B. IgE-binding monocytes upregulate the coagulation cascade in allergic horses. Genes Immun 2023 Jun;24(3):130-138.
- Raza F, Ivanek R, Freer H, Reiche D, Rose H, Torsteinsdóttir S, Svansson V, Björnsdóttir S, Wagner B. Cul o 2 specific IgG3/5 antibodies predicted Culicoides hypersensitivity in a group imported Icelandic horses. BMC Vet Res 2020 Aug 10;16(1):283.
- François L, Hoskens H, Velie BD, Stinckens A, Tinel S, Lamberigts C, Peeters L, Savelkoul HFJ, Tijhaar E, Lindgren G, Janssens S, Ducro BJ, Buys N, Schurink AA. Genomic Regions Associated with IgE Levels against Culicoides spp. Antigens in Three Horse Breeds. Genes (Basel) 2019 Aug 8;10(8).
- Torsteinsdottir S, Scheidegger S, Baselgia S, Jonsdottir S, Svansson V, Björnsdottir S, Marti E. A prospective study on insect bite hypersensitivity in horses exported from Iceland into Switzerland. Acta Vet Scand 2018 Nov 3;60(1):69.
- Andersson LS, Swinburne JE, Meadows JR, Broström H, Eriksson S, Fikse WF, Frey R, Sundquist M, Tseng CT, Mikko S, Lindgren G. The same ELA class II risk factors confer equine insect bite hypersensitivity in two distinct populations. Immunogenetics 2012 Mar;64(3):201-8.
- Hallamaa RE. Characteristics of equine summer eczema with emphasis on differences between Finnhorses and Icelandic horses in a 11-year study. Acta Vet Scand 2009 Jul 14;51(1):29.
- Langner KF, Jarvis DL, Nimtz M, Heselhaus JE, McHolland LE, Leibold W, Drolet BS. Identification, expression and characterisation of a major salivary allergen (Cul s 1) of the biting midge Culicoides sonorensis relevant for summer eczema in horses. Int J Parasitol 2009 Jan;39(2):243-50.
- Björnsdóttir S, Sigvaldadóttir J, Broström H, Langvad B, Sigurdsson A. Summer eczema in exported Icelandic horses: influence of environmental and genetic factors. Acta Vet Scand 2006 May 26;48(1):3.
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