Abstract
Background: Dexamethasone is routinely administered to horses but its effect on the antibody response to a commercial EIV/EHV vaccine is unclear. Hypothesis: Horses receiving dexamethasone will have lower postvaccination antibody levels against EIV and EHV-1 than vaccinated controls. Animals: Fifty-five healthy adult research horses. Methods: Randomized cohort study. Control (no vaccine, group 1), vaccination only (EIV/EHV-1/EHV-4, Prestige 2, Merck Animal Health, group 2), vaccination and concurrent single intravenous dose of dexamethasone (approximately.05 mg/kg, group 3), vaccination and 3 intravenous doses of dexamethasone at 24 hours intervals (group 4). Serum SAA levels were measured on day 1 and day 3. Antibody levels against EIV (hemagglutination inhibition assay, Kentucky 2014 antigen) and EHV-1 (multiplex ELISA targeting total IgG and IgG 4/7) were measured on day 1 and day 30. Results: Significantly increased mean antibody titers after vaccination were only noted against EIV and only after the vaccination alone (n = 14, prevaccine mean [prvm] 166.9, SD 259.6, 95% CI 16.95-316.8; postvaccine mean [povm] 249.1, SD 257.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] 100.6-397.6, P =.02) and the single dose dexamethasone (n = 14, prvm 93.14, SD 72.2, CI 51.45-134.8; povm 185.1, SD 118, CI 116.7-253.6, P =.01), but not after multiple doses of dexamethasone (n = 14, prvm 194.3, SD 258.3, CI 45.16-343.4; povm 240.0, SD 235.7, CI 103.9-376.1, P >.05). Conclusion: The effect of dexamethasone on the postvaccine antibody response varies depending on the dosing frequency and the antigen-specific antibody type.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 424-430 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine |
Volume | 38 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Keywords
- corticosteroids
- horse
- immune
- medicine
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Veterinary