Case-control study of factors associated with fibrinous pericarditis among horses in central Kentucky during spring 2001.

The research article presents a case-control study that investigated the factors associated with a surge in fibrinous pericarditis cases among horses in central Kentucky during spring 2001. The study identified exposure to Eastern tent caterpillars and younger age as significant risk factors.

Study Objective and Methodology

• The research aimed to ascertain the factors significantly associated with a fibrinous pericarditis epidemic among horses in central Kentucky during the spring of 2001.
• For this investigation, a case-control study was formed including 38 horses with fibrinous pericarditis (cases) and 30 control horses examined for other reasons.
• A questionnaire was developed and distributed to farm owners or managers to gather information concerning the management practices and environmental exposures at their respective farms.

Findings of the Research

• Results from bivariate analyses showed that factors significantly associated with an increased risk of pericarditis included: originating from a farm with mares and foals affected by mare reproductive loss syndrome, exposure to Eastern tent caterpillars in or around horse pastures, younger age, shorter duration of residence in Kentucky and at the farm of current residence, being fed hay grown outside Kentucky, no access to pond water, access to orchard grass for grazing, and lack of direct contact with cattle.
• However, multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that only variables related to caterpillar exposure and age were significantly associated with fibrinous pericarditis.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

• The study results suggest a possible association between fibrinous pericarditis in horses and mare reproductive loss syndrome.
• The most significant risk factor for the development of fibrinous pericarditis was exposure to Eastern tent caterpillars.
• The timing of the diagnosis of fibrinous pericarditis lined up with a point-source epidemic, implying that a single common source or event can trigger multiple cases at once.