Specific immunotherapy in the treatment of Culicoides hypersensitive horses: A double‐blind study

Abstract

Summary Fourteen privately owned horses completed a six month, controlled, double‐blind trial to assess the efficacy of immunotherapy using an aqueous extract of whole, unfed Culicoides variipennis in the treatment of Culicoides hypersensitivity. Selected horses had a history of a seasonal, pruritic dermatitis, clinical signs and distribution compatible with Culicoides hypersensitivity, failed to improve in response to ivermectin therapy, and reacted to several dilutions of Culicoides extracts without significant reactivity to other possible allergens including insects, moulds and feeds. One horse from the control group (n=8) and one from the test group (n=6) improved. Statistically, there was no significant difference between horses on Culicoides antigen and control horses. In each group, four owners thought that their horses had improved.

Developing a preventive immunization approach against insect bite hypersensitivity using recombinant allergens: A pilot study

“…This has also been tried in IBH-affected horses using whole body extract of Culicoides, with contradictory results (Anderson et al, 1996;Barbet et al, 1990;Ginel et al, 2014). Whole body Culicoides extract can be expected to contain various substances not relevant for IBH, and therefore it is difficult to determine the dosage and frequency of injections needed to standardize the treatment.…”

Dermatite alérgica sazonal em ovinos deslanados no nordeste do Brasil

“…A histopatologia das lesões e testes intradérmicos com substratos de Culicoides spp. sugerem que a reação dermal não é inteiramente mediada por IgE (hipersensibilidade tipo I) estando envolvido também hipersensibilidade tipo IV ( Barbet et al 1990).…”

Identification, expression and characterisation of a major salivary allergen (Cul s 1) of the biting midge Culicoides sonorensis relevant for summer eczema in horses

“…Immunotherapy trials utilizing WBE of Culicoides have been attempted in allergic horses with varying results (Barbet et al, 1990; Anderson et al, 1996), possibly due to a lack of standardization of the extracts and a low level of relevant allergens. There might be similar explanations for the controversial IDT results obtained when WBE of Culicoides spp.…”