Identification of environmental factors affecting the prevalence of insect bite hypersensitivity in Shetland ponies and Friesian horses in The Netherlands.
Abstract: It is expected that climate and habitat factors influence the prevalence of culicoides and, therefore, the prevalence of insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH), but very little is described in the literature to prove the association of these factors. Prevalence varies widely from 3% in certain areas of Great Britain to 60% in certain parts of Australia. Objective: To describe the influence of environmental factors on the prevalence of IBH in Shetland ponies and Friesian horses in The Netherlands. Methods: Data on 3284 Shetland and 2824 Friesian mares (n = 6108) were collected in The Netherlands, based on 90 regions, according to postal codes. The climate components, amount of rainfall, number of warm days, number of cold days, and habitat components of soil type and type of vegetation were collected for each region. Results: Prevalence of IBH varied widely from 0-71.4% per region. The results showed that the environment with low IBH-prevalence had high rainfall, many cold days and few warm days per year. Habitats with a low IBH-prevalence were based along the coast line. Habitats with increasing prevalence of IBH had soils of clay with heather and woody vegetation. Friesian mares had a higher IBH prevalence than Shetland mares, which could indicate an effect of genetic background or an effect of year. Conclusions: There is an environmental effect on IBH prevalence within The Netherlands, which is caused by climate and habitat factors. Conclusions: The results provide a more accurate description of environmental factors and their impact on development of IBH; and should help better to understand habitat and climate effects, and to distinguish these from other effects, such as animal factors (genetics, age or sex).
Publication Date: 2007-01-19 PubMed ID: 17228599DOI: 10.2746/042516407x153020Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Animal Health
- Animal Science
- Climate
- Culicoides
- Diagnosis
- Disease Diagnosis
- Disease Etiology
- Disease Management
- Disease Prevalence
- Environment
- Epidemiology
- Equine Diseases
- Equine Health
- Genetics
- Geographical Differences
- Horses
- Insect Bite Hypersensitivity
- Public Health
- Shetland Ponies
- Veterinary Research
- Veterinary Science
Summary
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This study investigates how environmental factors might influence the occurrence of insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) in Shetland ponies and Friesian horses in The Netherlands. The researchers found that regions with high rainfall, numerous cold days, and fewer warm days per year had lower incidences of IBH.
Methodology
- The researchers collected data on 3284 Shetland and 2824 Friesian mares from 90 regions in The Netherlands. These areas were chosen based on postal codes.
- For each region, the researchers recorded the amount of rainfall, the number of warm and cold days, as well as the type of soil and vegetation present.
Findings
- The results showed a wide variance in IBH prevalence from 0 to 71.4% across different regions.
- Environments that had higher rainfall, more cold days, and fewer warm days in a year had a lower prevalence of IBH.
- Coastal habitats also showed low occurrence of IBH.
- Contrarily, areas that had increased prevalence of IBH typically had clay soils with heather and woody vegetation.
- There was also a difference in IBH prevalence between horse breeds: Friesian mares showed a higher prevalence than Shetland mares, suggesting a potential role of genetic factors or age.
Conclusions
- The results suggest that both climate and habitat factors have an impact on IBH prevalence.
- These findings will allow for a better understanding of how environmental factors can influence the development of IBH, distinguishing these factors from other influences like genetic, age or sex of the horse.
Cite This Article
APA
van Grevenhof EM, Ducro B, Heuven HC, Bijma P.
(2007).
Identification of environmental factors affecting the prevalence of insect bite hypersensitivity in Shetland ponies and Friesian horses in The Netherlands.
Equine Vet J, 39(1), 69-73.
https://doi.org/10.2746/042516407x153020 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Group, Wageningen University, P.B. 338 Wageningen, The Netherlands.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Ceratopogonidae / immunology
- Cold Temperature
- Female
- Horse Diseases / epidemiology
- Horse Diseases / immunology
- Horses
- Hypersensitivity / epidemiology
- Hypersensitivity / immunology
- Hypersensitivity / veterinary
- Insect Bites and Stings / epidemiology
- Insect Bites and Stings / immunology
- Insect Bites and Stings / veterinary
- Netherlands / epidemiology
- Prevalence
- Rain
- Seasons
- Skin Diseases / epidemiology
- Skin Diseases / immunology
- Skin Diseases / veterinary
Citations
This article has been cited 12 times.- Asti V, Summer A, Ablondi M, Sartori C, Giontella A, Pilastro V, Mecocci S, Cappelli K, Mancin E, Oian A, Mantovani R, Capomaccio S, Sabbioni A. Selection signatures and inbreeding: exploring genetic diversity in five native horse breeds. BMC Vet Res 2025 May 16;21(1):346.
- Cox A, Stewart AJ. Insect Bite Hypersensitivity in Horses: Causes, Diagnosis, Scoring and New Therapies. Animals (Basel) 2023 Aug 4;13(15).
- Raza F, Babasyan S, Larson EM, Freer HS, Schnabel CL, Wagner B. Peripheral blood basophils are the main source for early interleukin-4 secretion upon in vitro stimulation with Culicoides allergen in allergic horses. PLoS One 2021;16(5):e0252243.
- Vostry L, Vostra-Vydrova H, Citek J, Gorjanc G, Curik I. Association of inbreeding and regional equine leucocyte antigen homozygosity with the prevalence of insect bite hypersensitivity in Old Kladruber horse. Anim Genet 2021 Aug;52(4):422-430.
- 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.
- 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.
- Schurink A, da Silva VH, Velie BD, Dibbits BW, Crooijmans RPMA, Franҫois L, Janssens S, Stinckens A, Blott S, Buys N, Lindgren G, Ducro BJ. Copy number variations in Friesian horses and genetic risk factors for insect bite hypersensitivity. BMC Genet 2018 Jul 30;19(1):49.
- Lomas HR, Robinson PA. A Pilot Qualitative Investigation of Stakeholders' Experiences and Opinions of Equine Insect Bite Hypersensitivity in England. Vet Sci 2018 Jan 9;5(1).
- Velie BD, Shrestha M, Franҫois L, Schurink A, Tesfayonas YG, Stinckens A, Blott S, Ducro BJ, Mikko S, Thomas R, Swinburne JE, Sundqvist M, Eriksson S, Buys N, Lindgren G. Using an Inbred Horse Breed in a High Density Genome-Wide Scan for Genetic Risk Factors of Insect Bite Hypersensitivity (IBH). PLoS One 2016;11(4):e0152966.
- Baker T, Carpenter S, Gubbins S, Newton R, Lo Iacono G, Wood J, Harrup LE. Can insecticide-treated netting provide protection for Equids from Culicoides biting midges in the United Kingdom?. Parasit Vectors 2015 Nov 25;8:604.
- Meulenbroeks C, van der Lugt JJ, van der Meide NM, Willemse T, Rutten VP, Zaiss DM. Allergen-Specific Cytokine Polarization Protects Shetland Ponies against Culicoides obsoletus-Induced Insect Bite Hypersensitivity. PLoS One 2015;10(4):e0122090.
- 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.
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