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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / The Effect of Insect Bite Hypersensitivity on Movement Activ...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2023; 13(8); 1283; doi: 10.3390/ani13081283

The Effect of Insect Bite Hypersensitivity on Movement Activity and Behaviour of the Horse.

Abstract: Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) associated with biting midges is a common allergic skin disease in horses, reducing the welfare of affected horses. This study investigated the effect of IBH on animal welfare and behaviour and assessed a new prophylactic insect repellent. In total, 30 horses were recruited for a prospective cross-over and case-control study. Clinical signs of IBH, inflammatory markers in skin biopsies and behavioural data (direct observations, motion index) were scored longitudinally during two consecutive summers. No differences were observed in the total number of itching behaviours or motion index between IBH-affected horses and controls, but higher numbers of itching behaviours were observed in the evening. IBH-affected horses showed both clinical and histopathological signs of inflammatory skin lesions, with even short periods of scratching being associated with moderate/severe inflammatory skin lesions. In order to improve the welfare of the IBH-affected horses, they should be stabled/given extra protection in the evening and even short-term exposure to should be avoided. Preliminary results showed that the repellent tested can be used as a safe and non-toxic prophylactic to potentially reduce allergen exposure in horses with IBH, but further studies are needed to determine its efficacy.
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Publication Date: 2023-04-08 PubMed ID: 37106846PubMed Central: PMC10135092DOI: 10.3390/ani13081283Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study explores the impact of Insect Bite Hypersensitivity (IBH) on horses’ behavior and welfare. A new preventative insect repellent for such allergy was also assessed.

Study Design

  • This study design is prospective, cross-over, and a case-control type with a total of 30 horses involved.
  • The investigators collected clinical signs of IBH, inflammatory markers obtained from skin biopsies, and behavioural data, which include direct observations as well as a motion index, across two consecutive summers.

Effects of IBH on Horses’ Behaviour

  • No significant difference was found in the total number of itching behaviours or motion index between horses affected by IBH and those not affected.
  • However, a larger number of itching behaviours was noticed to occur in the evening.

Physical and Histopathological Findings

  • Horses with IBH showed signs of inflammatory skin lesions both clinically and histopathologically.
  • Even brief periods of scratching were linked with moderate to severe inflammatory skin lesions.

Welfare of IBH-affected Horses

  • For the welfare of horses affected by IBH, the study recommends to stable horses or provide them with extra protection during the evening, when itching behaviour increases.
  • The study also emphasized that any exposure to the allergen, even short-term, should be avoided to prevent further skin inflammation.

Assessment of New Prophylactic Insect Repellent

  • The study provided preliminary results on the testing of a new insect repellent as a preventative measure against allergen exposure in horses with IBH.
  • This repellent was found to be safe and non-toxic, and thus potential for use in preventing IBH in horses.
  • However, the study suggests more in-depth studies are needed to determine its efficacy in reducing allergen exposure in a real-life scenario.

Cite This Article

APA
Söderroos D, Ignell R, Haubro Andersen P, Bergvall K, Riihimäki M. (2023). The Effect of Insect Bite Hypersensitivity on Movement Activity and Behaviour of the Horse. Animals (Basel), 13(8), 1283. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13081283

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 13
Issue: 8
PII: 1283

Researcher Affiliations

Söderroos, Denise
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
Ignell, Rickard
  • Department of Plant Protection Biology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 234 22 Lomma, Sweden.
Haubro Andersen, Pia
  • Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Biochemistry, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
Bergvall, Kerstin
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
Riihimäki, Miia
  • Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.

Grant Funding

  • H-17-47-282 / Swedish Norwegian Foundation for Equine Research

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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Citations

This article has been cited 1 times.
  1. Cox A, Stewart AJ. Insect Bite Hypersensitivity in Horses: Causes, Diagnosis, Scoring and New Therapies.. Animals (Basel) 2023 Aug 4;13(15).
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