Neurotoxic phospholipase A2: A proposed cause of equine grass sickness and other animal dysautonomias (multiple system neuropathies)

Bruce McGorum, R Scott Pirie, Luca Bano, Tracey Davey, John Harris, Cesare Montecucco

Research output: Contribution to journalEditorialpeer-review

Abstract

Recent studies indicate that a neurotoxic phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ;E.C. 3.1.1.4) is a likely cause of equine grass sickness (EGS), 1,2 ahitherto enigmatic acute multiple system neuropathy that kills approximately 1% of horses grazing in high-risk premises. 3,4 It islikely that this neurotoxin also causes the apparently identicalanimal dysautonomias that occur in cats, dogs, hares, rabbits,llamas, alpacas and, possibly, sheep. 5–11 The unidentified neuro-toxic PLA 2 (nPLA 2 ) could be an ingested microbial or plant PLA 2 , ora PLA 2 produced in vivo by gastrointestinal (GI) microbes. Here we summarise details of our current understanding of the aetiopatho-genesis of EGS
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)11-18
Number of pages8
JournalEquine Veterinary Journal
Volume57
Issue number1
Early online date4 Dec 2024
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jan 2025

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