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Vincze B, Varga M, Kutasi O, Zenke P, Szenci O, Baska F, Bartels A, Spisák S, Cseh S, Solymosi N. Family aggregation analysis shows a possible heritable background of equine grass sickness (dysautonomia) in a Hungarian stud population. Acta Vet Hung 2020; 68:263-268. [PMID: 33128520 DOI: 10.1556/004.2020.00038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Equine grass sickness (also known as dysautonomia) is a life-threatening polyneuropathic disease affecting horses with approx. 80% mortality. Since its first description over a century ago, several factors, such as the phenotype, intestinal microbiome, environment, management and climate, have been supposed to be associated with the increased risk of dysautonomia. In this retrospective study, we examined the possible involvement of genetic factors. Medical and pedigree datasets regarding 1,233 horses with 49 affected animals born during a 23-year period were used in the analysis. Among the descendants of some stallions, the proportion of animals diagnosed with dysautonomia was unexpectedly high. Among males, the odds of dysautonomia were found to be higher, albeit not significantly, than among females. Significant familial clustering (genealogical index of familiality, P = 0.001) was observed among the affected animals. Further subgroups were identified with significant (P < 0.001) aggregation among close relatives using kinship-based methods. Our analysis, along with the slightly higher disease frequency in males, suggests that dysautonomia may have a genetic causal factor with an X-linked recessive inheritance pattern. This is the first study providing ancestry data and suggesting a heritable component in the likely multifactorial aetiology of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boglárka Vincze
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Food Animal Medicine Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine, István u. 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Márta Varga
- 2Department of Animal Breeding, Nutrition and Laboratory Animal Science, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Orsolya Kutasi
- 2Department of Animal Breeding, Nutrition and Laboratory Animal Science, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Petra Zenke
- 2Department of Animal Breeding, Nutrition and Laboratory Animal Science, Laboratory of Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ottó Szenci
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Food Animal Medicine Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine, István u. 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ferenc Baska
- 3Department and Clinic of Zoo and Wildlife Medicine, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Alan Bartels
- 4Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sándor Spisák
- 4Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sándor Cseh
- 1Department of Obstetrics and Food Animal Medicine Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine, István u. 2, H-1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Norbert Solymosi
- 5Centre for Bioinformatics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Budapest, Hungary
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