Prevalence of serum precipitating antibodies in horses to fungal and thermophilic actinomycete antigens: effects of environmental challenge.

The research article focuses on the prevalence of serum precipitating antibodies in horses, particularly their reaction to various fungi and actinomycete antigens, with an emphasis on how the horses’ housing conditions could potentially affect the presence of these antibodies. However, it is clarified that serological tests are of low utility in diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or ‘heaves’ based on these findings.

Study Subjects and Experiment

• The study utilized sera from 54 Thoroughbred horses, aged two to three years old, from an English racing stable.
• The sera were tested for precipitins, specifically against antigen extracts prepared from 18 different species of moulds (fungi and actinomycetes) that had been isolated from the same stable.

Results of the Study

• Of the 54 horses, 27 displayed serum precipitins reacting to one or more antigens.
• Sixteen of the mould antigens extracted provoked positive reactions in sera from at least one of the horses.

Impact of Housing on Antigen Exposure

• The results showed that there were more precipitins in the sera of horses stabled in a barn compared to those stabled in individual boxes.
• This difference suggested a possible correlation between the type of housing and the level of exposure to airborne moulds and the resultant presence of serum precipitins.

Correlation to Respiratory Disease

• Despite these findings, none of the horses showed any signs of overt respiratory disease.
• The research supports other studies which have found the presence of serum precipitating antibodies to mould antigens even in clinically healthy horses.
• As a result, it’s stated that serological tests might not be valuable in diagnosing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or ‘heaves’.