Equine uveitis.
Abstract: Uveitis (inflammation of the iris, ciliary body, or choroid) is a potentially blinding condition with a significant economic impact on the horse industry. Variable symptoms are described, as well as a considerable range of structural and functional sequelae. Known causes of initial episodes include bacterial, viral, traumatic, and parasitic insults, with recurrence by immunologic mechanisms. Treatment strategies and management recommendations that may reduce the incidence or severity of episodes are discussed.
Publication Date: 1992-12-01 PubMed ID: 1458329DOI: 10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30441-8Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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This research is primarily focused on understanding equine uveitis which is an inflammation condition in horses that potentially can lead to blindness, its multiple causes specifically bacterial, viral, traumatic, and parasitic, and exploring treatment strategies to manage and alleviate the severity of its occurrence.
Overview of Equine Uveitis
- Equine uveitis is a condition in horses characterized by the inflammation of the iris, ciliary body, or choroid – parts of a horse’s eye. It is a dangerous condition as it has the potential to cause blindness in horses.
- Beyond the physical limitations imposed by this condition, it also has a significant economic impact on the entire horse industry given the value of horses and the cost of their care.
- The symptoms of equine uveitis vary greatly and can lead to a considerable range of structural and functional changes in the affected eye.
Causes of Equine Uveitis
- Equine uveitis can be triggered by variety of sources. The research identifies bacterial, viral, traumatic, and parasitic incidents as some of the main causative factors.
- The study indicates that not only can these elements provoke initial instances of equine uveitis, but they can also trigger recurrences through various immunologic mechanisms.
Treatment Strategies and Management Recommendations
- The paper also discusses several treatment procedures and management recommendations suitable for equine uveitis.
- These are not outlined in detail in the abstract, but presumably they include medical strategies targeted at reducing the inflammation and any associated pain, possibly coupled with management strategies to prevent reinfection or aggravation of the condition.
- It’s suggested that implementation of these treatments and management strategies could help in reducing the incidence or severity of uveitis episodes in horses.
Cite This Article
APA
Schwink KL.
(1992).
Equine uveitis.
Vet Clin North Am Equine Pract, 8(3), 557-574.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0749-0739(17)30441-8 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Veterinary Ophthalmic Consulting, Blacksburg, Virginia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Horse Diseases / diagnosis
- Horse Diseases / etiology
- Horse Diseases / therapy
- Horses
- Prognosis
- Recurrence
- Uveitis / diagnosis
- Uveitis / etiology
- Uveitis / therapy
- Uveitis / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Geiger T, Gerhards H, Bjelica B, Mackenthun E, Wollanke B. Analysis of 1840 Equine Intraocular Fluid Samples for the Presence of Anti-Leptospira Antibodies and Leptospiral DNA and the Correlation to Ophthalmologic Findings in Terms of Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU)-A Retrospective Study. Vet Sci 2022 Aug 21;9(8).
- Plummer CE, Polk T, Sharma J, Bae SS, Barr O, Jones A, Kitchen H, Wilhelmy M, Devin K, Clay Smith W, Kolaczkowski BD, Larkin J 3rd. Open label safety and efficacy pilot to study mitigation of equine recurrent uveitis through topical suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 mimetic peptide. Sci Rep 2022 May 3;12(1):7177.
- Wollanke B, Gerhards H, Ackermann K. Infectious Uveitis in Horses and New Insights in Its Leptospiral Biofilm-Related Pathogenesis. Microorganisms 2022 Feb 7;10(2).
- Fingerhut L, Ohnesorge B, von Borstel M, Schumski A, Strutzberg-Minder K, Mörgelin M, Deeg CA, Haagsman HP, Beineke A, von Köckritz-Blickwede M, de Buhr N. Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in the Pathogenesis of Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU). Cells 2019 Nov 27;8(12).
- Saldinger LK, Nelson SG, Bellone RR, Lassaline M, Mack M, Walker NJ, Borjesson DL. Horses with equine recurrent uveitis have an activated CD4+ T-cell phenotype that can be modulated by mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. Vet Ophthalmol 2020 Jan;23(1):160-170.
- Fischer BM, McMullen RJ Jr, Reese S, Brehm W. Intravitreal injection of low-dose gentamicin for the treatment of recurrent or persistent uveitis in horses: Preliminary results. BMC Vet Res 2019 Jan 16;15(1):29.
- Degroote RL, Hauck SM, Amann B, Hirmer S, Ueffing M, Deeg CA. Unraveling the equine lymphocyte proteome: differential septin 7 expression associates with immune cells in equine recurrent uveitis. PLoS One 2014;9(3):e91684.
- Verma A, Kumar P, Babb K, Timoney JF, Stevenson B. Cross-reactivity of antibodies against leptospiral recurrent uveitis-associated proteins A and B (LruA and LruB) with eye proteins. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2010 Aug 3;4(8):e778.
- Sandmeyer LS, Grahn BH, Breaux CB. Diagnostic ophthalmology. Anterior and posterior uveitis with inflammatory retinal detachment, most likely secondary to equine recurrent uveitis. Can Vet J 2007 Jan;48(1):97-8.
- Faber NA, Crawford M, LeFebvre RB, Buyukmihci NC, Madigan JE, Willits NH. Detection of Leptospira spp. in the aqueous humor of horses with naturally acquired recurrent uveitis. J Clin Microbiol 2000 Jul;38(7):2731-3.
- Kirmse L, Thieme K, Doherr MG, Eule JC. Evaluation of Laboratory Techniques for the Diagnosis of Leptospira-Associated Equine Recurrent Uveitis (ERU) With Focus on the Goldmann-Witmer Coefficient. Vet Ophthalmol 2026 Jan;29(1):e70132.
- Morén S, Kallberg M, Strom L. Equine uveitis: Outcome and adverse effects after one or two intravitreal low-dose gentamicin injections. Equine Vet J 2025 Jan;57(1):160-168.
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