Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
"Haysickness" in Icelandic horses: precipitin tests and other studies.
- Journal:
- Equine veterinary journal
- Year:
- 1983
- Authors:
- Asmundsson, T et al.
- Species:
- horse
Plain-English summary
In a study involving Icelandic horses, researchers looked at blood samples from different groups of horses to understand a condition known as "haysickness," which is similar to a lung disease in humans. They tested 18 healthy horses, 15 diagnosed with haysickness, 10 closely related horses, and 14 inbred horses for specific antibodies that indicate exposure to certain mold species. Most healthy horses showed no signs of these antibodies, while all horses with haysickness tested positive for one specific mold. Some related and inbred horses also had positive tests but were not showing any symptoms. The findings suggest that haysickness in horses and a similar condition in people may have the same cause, but more research is needed to confirm the usefulness of these tests in diagnosing the disease and to explore if genetics play a role.
Abstract
Blood samples were taken from 18 healthy horses (Group A), 15 horses clinically diagnosed to have "haysickness" ("farmer's lung") (Group B), 10 closely related horses (Group C) and 14 inbred horses (Group D). Precipitins in sera were measured by double gel diffusion test against Micropolyspora faeni, Thermoactinomyces vulgaris, Aspergillus fumigatus, Alternaria, Penicillium and Rhizopus species. In Group A, all the horses were precipitin negative except one with a faint reaction to Rhizopus species. In Group B all had precipitin against M faeni. One horse also had precipitins against Rhizopus species and another against A fumigatus. In Group C, seven of the 10 horses had precipitins against M faeni. Of these, five had a history of respiratory signs, but two horses with a faint reaction had no such history. In Group D, four out of 14 horses had positive precipitin tests against M faeni. Of these four horses, three also had a faint reaction to A fumigatus and one a faint reaction to Alternaria species. All were asymptomatic. These results indicate that "farmer's lung" in man and "haysickness" in horses are of the same origin. However, further studies are necessary to substantiate the diagnostic or prognostic value of these precipitin tests in equine practice. The question of whether hereditary factors play a role in causing this disease also warrants further studies.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6411460/