Publications by authors named "S Torsteinsdottir"

Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is a seasonal dermatitis of horses caused by IgE-mediated reactions to bites of Culicoides midges characterized by an imbalance of T-cell subsets. Iceland is free of the causative species but the prevalence of IBH in exported Icelandic horses is especially high. We have shown that intralymphatic (i.

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Article Synopsis
  • Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an allergic skin condition in horses caused by allergens from biting midges (Culicoides spp.), which doesn't occur in Iceland but is prevalent in other regions.
  • The study aimed to track how horses from Iceland are sensitized to Culicoides allergens after being exported and to identify the main allergens involved.
  • Results showed that horses display significant sensitization to multiple allergens at the time of first IBH symptoms and that those exported from Iceland are more sensitized than those born in Europe, but the length of time a horse has had IBH didn’t significantly affect sensitization levels.
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Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is an allergic dermatitis of horses, an IgE-mediated reaction to Culicoides midges. Causative Culicoides spp. are not indigenous in Iceland resulting in high prevalence of IBH in horses born in Iceland and exported as compared to Icelandic horses born in a Culicoides rich environment.

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Equine coital exanthema (ECE) caused by equid alphaherpesvirus 3 (EHV-3) is a contagious venereal disease. It is characterized by the formation of papules, vesicles, pustules and ulcers on the external genitals of both mares and stallions. The Icelandic horse is the only breed in Iceland and has lived isolated in the country for over 1000 years.

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Background: Allergy to bites of blood-sucking insects, including biting midges, can affect both human and veterinary patients. Horses are often suffering from an IgE-mediated allergic dermatitis caused by bites of midges (Culicoides spp). With the aim to improve allergen immunotherapy (AIT), numerous Culicoides allergens have been produced as recombinant (r-) proteins.

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