Guest guest Posted January 1, 2008 Report Share Posted January 1, 2008 " The aetiology of equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) is reported on one hand to be an autoimmune disease and on the other hand an intraocular leptospiral infection. [...] ERU is not an " autoimmune disease " , but a persisting intraocular leptospiral infection, which causes infection-associated autoimmune phenomena, until the intraocular leptospirosis is eliminated by vitrectomy. " This controversy seems to be ongoing. Apparently it is not usually possible to observe classical leptospire morphs in the material - positivity ranges at least as low as 10%. But many groups report up to 100% PCR positivity, and comparable but lower culture positivity (the organism is assessed as culture- fastidious in general, by at least one paper). Since this disease has been considered autoimmune, it almost certainly must be poorly responsive to abx in the short term. This also sounds familiar from human reactive arthritides, etc: " The leptospires were detected freely in the vitreous and also incorporated by a phagocyte. " " Clinical signs will often disappear followed by recurrence. " None of the stuff I've examined so far distinguishes between the infection causing the disease, and the infection being secondary. So who knows, it could be totally secondary. refs (papers): http://www.cababstractsplus.org/google/abstract.asp?AcNo=20043122226 PMID: 17523963 PMID: 17147152 refs (Ontario govt document): http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/horses/facts/00-065.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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