Prevalence of allergic dermatitis (IBH) in the horses in Tehran’s riding clubs

Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is a chronic, recurrent, seasonal dermatitis of the horse caused by bites of insects of the genus Culicoides. Worldwide, it is the most common allergic skin disease in horses. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of IBH in the suburbian riding clubs of Tehran. 900 horses, aged between 2 to 20 years, (male or female) during a 1-year period were used in this study. The most common symptoms were papular dermatits and alopecia. IBH symptoms were mainly located at the neck, ventral trunk and the legs. Accurate diagnosis and treatment of the allergic reactions is important to improve the quality-of-life of such individuals and reduce the risk for future sting reactions.