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Early Allergen Exposure Protects Horses from Future Allergies

Horses exposed to an allergen early in life showed a lower likelihood of developing an allergic reaction later, according to a study by researchers at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. The study, which followed Icelandic horses for 13 years, found that horses exposed at birth to a midge known to cause severe skin allergy did not develop the condition, while 62.5% of those first exposed as adults developed an itchy, eczema-like reaction.

Researchers were able to conduct the study effectively because the midges, known as Culicoides, are not found in Iceland. This provided an opportunity to study horses that had no previous exposure to the allergen, as well as those whose exposure timing varied. The study, published on October 21 in Frontiers in Immunology, supports the idea that early exposure to an allergen might prime the immune system to be more tolerant later.

The similarities between the immune systems of horses and humans offer potential insights for human allergies. The findings add to the body of evidence supporting the hygiene hypothesis, which notes that children growing up on farms with diverse microbial exposures tend to develop fewer allergies compared to those raised in more sterile environments.

Source: Cornell University

Source Type: College

Source Location: Ithaca

Dec 9, 2025 at 8:30 AM

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