Summer pasture-associated recurrent airway obstruction (SPARAO) is characterized by reversible airway obstruction resulting from airway hyper-reactivity to aeroallergens, mucus accumulation, and airway inflammation. These are key clinical features that are shared with human asthma, suggesting SPARAO’s utility as an animal asthma model. SPARAO affects horses maintained on pasture in conditions of high heat and humidity. Common in the southeastern United States, the cause of SPARAO is unknown, but is presumed to reflect reactivity to seasonally inhaled pasture-associated aeroallergens. This investigation sought to identify well-characterized histopathological lesions of human asthma, collectively termed ‘asthmatic remodeling’, in lung tissue from horses with SPARAO. Two histological staining techniques were used: H&E and Movat’s Pentachrome. Similar to chronic asthma, lung tissue from horses with SPARAO demonstrates statistically significant increases in airway smooth muscle, fibrosis, airway occlusion and inflammation, goblet cell hyperplasia, and remodeling of terminal bronchioles and elastin fibers.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:MSSTATE/oai:scholarsjunction.msstate.edu:td-1626 |
| Date | 17 May 2014 |
| Creators | Ferrari, Claudenir Rodrigues |
| Publisher | Scholars Junction |
| Source Sets | Mississippi State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | Theses and Dissertations |
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