Comparison of Four Different Allergy Tests in Equine Asthma Affected Horses and Allergen Inhalation Provocation Test.
Abstract: Potential triggers for equine asthma are allergens from hay and straw dusts, mold spores and storage mites. The contribution of these environmental trigger factors to equine asthma is still largely uncertain. The aim of this study was to compare results of four allergy tests from healthy and asthma-affected horses, and to evaluate the clinical relevance of allergens tested positive via specific inhalation provocation test. Fifteen horses were classified using a clinical scoring system as asthmatic (n = 9) or control (n = 6). Four different allergy tests (functional in vitro test, intradermal test, Fc-epsilon receptor test, and ELISA for allergen-specific IgE) were compared. A histamine inhalation provocation test as positive control was performed in all horses and the interpleural pressure was measured. In addition, two individual allergens were chosen for the allergen inhalation provocation test based on the results of the allergy tests and inhaled in increasing concentrations, until signs of dyspnea occurred. None of the four allergy tests could differentiate reliably between controls and asthma-affected horses. There was no agreement among the results of the four allergy tests. The interpleural pressure results showed a large individual variability. A clear positive reaction on the allergen inhalation provocation test was only detected in two asthma-affected horses 6 hours after allergen inhalation with Aspergillus fumigatus and Cladosporium herbarum. In most cases a purely type I immediate reaction is unlikely to be involved in causing the clinical signs of equine asthma. Because of a delayed reaction after allergen provocation in two horses, the involvement of cell-mediated type III or IV hypersensitivity may be possible. As all allergy tests used in this study can only detect IgE-mediated hypersensitivity, these tests are probably not suitable for an etiological diagnosis of equine asthma.
Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2021-03-17 PubMed ID: 34119204DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103433Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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The research study aimed to investigate allergy test results on horses suffering from equine asthma in comparison to healthy horses. Further testing involved provoking allergies through inhalation to determine how reliable these tests were in identifying asthmatic horses and understanding how allergens contribute to these asthmatic reactions.
Research Methodology
- The study involved 15 horses with 9 being asthmatic and the remaining 6 serving as control.
- Four different allergy tests, namely, functional in vitro test, intradermal test, Fc-epsilon receptor test, and ELISA for allergen-specific IgE, were conducted on all horses and their results compared.
- All the horses were subjected to a histamine inhalation provocation test, and their interpleural pressure was recorded.
- Based on the results from the allergy tests, two individual allergens were chosen for an allergen inhalation provocation test. The concentrations of these allergens were gradually increased until breathing difficulties were observed.
Findings of the Study
- The results of the allergy tests showed no reliable correlation between the controls and asthma-affected horses.
- Discrepancies in the results of the four allergy tests highlighted their unreliability in differentiating between healthy and asthma-affected horses.
- A significant individual variability was observed in the interpleural pressure results.
- A evident positive reaction to the allergen inhalation provocation test was identified in only two asthma-affected horses six hours after inhalation with Aspergillus fumigatus and Cladosporium herbarum.
Conclusion of the Study
- The study indicates that a purely type I immediate reaction is unlikely the main cause of clinical signs of equine asthma.
- Delayed reactions after allergen provocation in two horses suggest the potential role of cell-mediated type III or IV hypersensitivity.
- As all the allergy tests involved in this study could only detect IgE-mediated hypersensitivity, they may not be suitable for diagnosing equine asthma accurately.
Cite This Article
APA
Klier J, Lindner D, Reese S, Mueller RS, Gehlen H.
(2021).
Comparison of Four Different Allergy Tests in Equine Asthma Affected Horses and Allergen Inhalation Provocation Test.
J Equine Vet Sci, 102, 103433.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jevs.2021.103433 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Equine Clinic, Munich, Germany.
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Equine Clinic, Munich, Germany; Free University of Berlin, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Clinic, Surgery and Radiology, Berlin, Germany.
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Department of Veterinary Science, Institute of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Munich, Germany.
- Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Centre for Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Small animal medicine clinic, Munich, Germany.
- Free University of Berlin, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Equine Clinic, Surgery and Radiology, Berlin, Germany. Electronic address: Heidrun.Gehlen@fu-berlin.de.
MeSH Terms
- Allergens
- Animals
- Asthma / diagnosis
- Asthma / veterinary
- Bronchial Provocation Tests
- Cladosporium
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horses
- Hypersensitivity / diagnosis
- Hypersensitivity / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Wyler M, Sage SE, Marti E, White S, Gerber V. Protein microarray allergen profiling in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and serum of horses with asthma.. J Vet Intern Med 2023 Jan;37(1):328-337.
- Klier J, Fuchs S, Winter G, Gehlen H. Inhalative Nanoparticulate CpG Immunotherapy in Severe Equine Asthma: An Innovative Therapeutic Concept and Potential Animal Model for Human Asthma Treatment.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Aug 16;12(16).
- Simões J, Batista M, Tilley P. The Immune Mechanisms of Severe Equine Asthma-Current Understanding and What Is Missing.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Mar 16;12(6).
- Lo Feudo CM, Stucchi L, Alberti E, Conturba B, Zucca E, Ferrucci F. Intradermal Testing Results in Horses Affected by Mild-Moderate and Severe Equine Asthma.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 13;11(7).
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