Review of 15 cases of pemphigus foliaceus in horses and a survey of the literature.

This research studies 15 cases of pemphigus foliaceus, a rare skin autoimmune disease in horses, analyzing the common age of onset, clinical signs, diagnostic methods used, and the affected breeds. The disease shows no breed specificity and its symptoms mostly tally with previous reports in literature. However, pain wasn’t a significant symptom in the observed cases.

Age and Breed of Affected Horses

• The research indicates that the horse’s age at the onset of pemphigus foliaceus varies widely. The mean age was nine years, ranging between three months and 25.5 years.
• Out of the 15 cases, three were foals up to six months old and eight were nine years old or older, suggesting that the disease can appear at any age.
• The study also reveals that there was no apparent predisposition towards any specific breed, meaning that all horses, irrespective of breed, may be susceptible.

Common Clinical Signs

• Most frequent symptoms of this disease included scaling (recorded in 11 horses), crusting, and alopecia (both in 10 horses). The face, neck, and trunk were the most commonly affected areas, found in 10 cases.
• Extremities were affected in nine horses, with itching observed in seven of them, indicating that pemphigus foliaceus often causes discomfort and irritation.
• However, contrary to what might be expected from a skin disease, signs of pain were not significantly seen in the horses.

Diagnostic Tests

• Diagnosis of pemphigus foliaceus was performed based on the horse’s history, observed clinical signs, and histopathology, where the tissue was examined under a microscope.
• Acantholytic cells, which are characteristic of the disease, were identified cytologically (study of cells) in four of the six horses. This reaffirms the diagnosis and suggests the possible use of cytology as a reliable diagnostic tool for this disease.

Comparison with Previous Literature

• In comparison to prior reports, the clinical signs from the cases studied mostly aligned. This consistency in symptoms across various researches aids in quicker recognition and diagnosis of the disease.