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Equine grass sickness in Scotland: a case-control study of signalment- and meteorology-related risk factors.
Abstract: Equine grass sickness (EGS) remains a frequently fatal disease of equids in Britain. Since previous investigations of signalment- and meteorology-related risk factors for EGS have yielded some conflicting data, further investigation is warranted. Objective: To identify signalment- and meteorology-related risk factors for EGS in Scotland. Methods: Retrospective time-matched case-control study. Methods: This study was undertaken using data for 455 EGS cases and 910 time-matched controls that were referred to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, and average UK Meteorological Office weather station meteorological values from the month of admission of the animal, from the 3, 6 and 12 months prior to admission, and for the entire 1990-2006 period. Conclusions: Signalment-related risk factors associated with an increased risk of EGS were native Scottish pure breeds compared with crossbreeds (odds ratio [OR] = 3.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.43-5.43) and animals living on premises located further north within the study region (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.06-1.10). There was a decreased risk of EGS in animals aged 11-20 years compared with animals 2-10 years (OR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.22-0.45), non-native Scottish pure breeds compared with crossbreeds (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.54-0.94), and stallions compared with mares (OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.22-0.86). Meteorology-related risk factors associated with an increased risk of EGS were (if Ordnance Survey northing is excluded) more sun hours (OR>1.43) and more frost days (OR>1.13), while there was a decreased risk of EGS with higher average maximum temperature (OR<0.83). Conclusions: The signalment-related risk factors will help owners identify high-risk animals, thereby allowing them to prioritise management strategies. The identification of meteorological risk factors may assist studies on the aetiology of EGS.
© 2013 EVJ Ltd.
Publication Date: 2013-06-28 PubMed ID: 23662745DOI: 10.1111/evj.12077Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research investigates the risk factors related to the breed, age, sex, and geographical location of equines, along with weather conditions, for Equine Grass Sickness (EGS) in Scotland. The study shows that certain breeds, younger animals, mares, and those in northern regions are more susceptible to EGS, while sunny, frosty weather further increases this risk, and a higher average maximum temperature decreases it.
Introduction and Methodology
- The study delves into Equine Grass Sickness, a commonly fatal disease in equids in Britain, and aims to probe into its breed, age, gender, and meteorology-related risk factors using data from Scotland.
- The research is a retrospective case-control study that utilizes data from 455 EGS cases and 910 controls that were referred to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. It also looked at meteorological records from the UK Meteorological Office.
- The meteorological values included those of the month of the animal’s admission, as well as those from three, six, and twelve months prior to admission, and for the entire 1990-2006 period.
Identification of Risk Factors
- The study identified certain risk factors that were associated with an increased probability of EGS. Scottish pure breeds demonstrated a higher risk than crossbreeds, and animals located further north within the study region also faced higher odds of contracting EGS.
- A contrast was seen with animals aged 11-20 years, non-native Scottish pure breeds, and stallions, all of which showed a decreased risk compared to animals aged 2-10 years, crossbreeds, and mares respectively.
Meteorology-related Risk Factors
- The meteorological factors contributing to a higher risk of EGS were found to be more hours of sunshine and more frost days. On the other hand, a higher average maximum temperature was associated with a decreased risk of EGS.
Conclusions
- The revelations about breed, age, and gender-related risk factors can help owners identify animals that are at a higher risk and prioritize management strategies accordingly.
- The identification of meteorological risk factors can inform further studies on the causes of Equine Grass Sickness.
Cite This Article
APA
Wylie CE, Shaw DJ, Fordyce FM, Lilly A, McGorum BC.
(2013).
Equine grass sickness in Scotland: a case-control study of signalment- and meteorology-related risk factors.
Equine Vet J, 46(1), 64-71.
https://doi.org/10.1111/evj.12077 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & Roslin Institute, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, University of Edinburgh, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / epidemiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / etiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / veterinary
- Case-Control Studies
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horses
- Odds Ratio
- Retrospective Studies
- Risk Factors
- Scotland / epidemiology
- Weather
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- McGorum BC, Chen Z, Glendinning L, Gweon HS, Hunt L, Ivens A, Keen JA, Pirie RS, Taylor J, Wilkinson T, McLachlan G. Equine grass sickness (a multiple systems neuropathy) is associated with alterations in the gastrointestinal mycobiome. Anim Microbiome 2021 Oct 9;3(1):70.
- Harte T, Smith D, Moore J, Wells B. Review of published research on primary dysautonomia of domestic animals. Vet Rec 2026 Jan 3;198(1):e30-e40.
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