title: Comparison of IgG antibody levels to Clostridium botulinum antigens between euthanased and surviving cases of chronic grass sickness.
abstract: Serum from 12 horses suffering from chronic grass sickness (CGS) were assayed for IgG antibodies against botulinum neurotoxins C and D (BoNT/C and BoNT/D) and to a surface antigen extract of a neurotoxin negative strain of Clostridium botulinum type C. Collectively, the six surviving CGS cases demonstrated significantly higher initial IgG levels (P=0.05) against surface antigens than the six that were subsequently euthanased. The surviving animals also demonstrated higher initial IgG levels against the BoNT/C but not reaching significance (P=0.06). The two groups demonstrated no difference between IgG levels against BoNT/D. This study supports existing evidence of the involvement of C. botulinum type C in the aetiology of grass sickness.
authors.affiliation: Medical Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Diseases, University of Edinburgh College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Edinburgh EH16 4SB, UK.
authors.forename: F G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Nunn
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Pirie
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: McGorum
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wernery
authors.forename: I R
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Poxton
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003014:Clostridium botulinum / Q000276:immunology*; D037901:Euthanasia, Animal; D006734:Horse Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006736:Horses; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; C096325:botulinum toxin type D; D001905:Botulinum Toxins; C096324:botulinum toxin type C