Assessment of serum levels of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E in different seasons and breeds in healthy horses

Abstract

The present study was designed to asses specific IgE towards environment allergens in 42 healthy horses. Determination of this immunoglobulin in serum serve as diagnostic tools in allergic diseases to improve efficacy of the treatment and proper allergen selection to specific immunotherapy. Serum levels of allergen specific IgE were measured with equine monoclonal antibody, using 15 individual and 5 mix allergens in North European Panel. The study revealed season dependent increased levels of allergen specific IgE in normal horses. It is noteworthy that healthy horses show high percentage of positive reactions, most commonly towards to domestic mites D. farinae (80%), D. pteronyssinus (35.71%) and storage mites T. putrenscentiae (42.86%), Acarus siro (40.48%). These allergens play an important role in equine, canine and feline atopic dermatitis. We also demonstrated high IgE levels in the group of horse specific insect allergens. Tabanus sp. (35.71%), Culicoides sp. (28.57%) and Simulium sp. (26.19%) were the most frequent insect positive reaction allergens. No positive reactions in all groups of allergens were found in winter season, low and merely detectable levels of antibodies have been found relating to D. farianae and T. putrescentiae allergen. We observed elevated mould-IgE levels in horses that live in stables, while outdoor living horses showed very low levels. Amongst all positive reactions we observed only weak and moderate reactions but no strong positive reactions were found. No significant differences were observed between three breeds of horses with the exception of moulds and D. pteronyssinus allergens.

Assessment of serum allergenspecific IgE levels in horses from Siedlce County, Poland

“…The factor that contributed most to the occurrence of allergies among the horses was house dust mites (D. farinae), which were diagnosed in 18 animals (64.3%). The high prevalence of mite allergens found in other studies (Tahon et al, 2009;Wilkołek et al, 2014) may be because of the pellets and grains used in horse feed that contains large amounts of forage mites. In the present study, horses had straw bedding and thus had ongoing contact with mites.…”

“…xx with prevalence ranging from 0% to 74% depending on the region (Wilkołek et al, 2014;Mueller et al, 2016).…”

“…Sick horses may exhibit behavioural disorders. There is currently no long-term effective treatment (Wilkołek et al, 2014).…”

Co‐reactivity between related and unrelated environmental allergens in equine allergen‐specific IgE serology testing in the UK

“…Each of these could have impacted on the level of allergen exposure and therefore the likelihood of reactivity and co‐reactivity being demonstrated. A Polish study investigating environmental allergen‐specific IgE responses in healthy horses found marked seasonal variation in reactivity levels . A similar seasonal effect was not, however, demonstrated in horses with IBH, leading to the hypothesis that in allergic horse's the plasma cells may continuously produce IgE without B‐cell reactivation …”

Evaluation of multiple allergen simultaneous (sIgE) testing compared to intradermal testing in the etiological diagnosis of atopic dermatitis in horses

“…However, false-negative results can occur in asymptomatic period. IDT was performed in fall and winter during asymptomatic period of the disease [27]. Though, the greatest severity of symptoms associated with allergies to dust mites occurs in summer and autumn, however, symptoms may occur year-round [18].…”