Workshop

Welcome Message

We are pleased to announce that we will be organizing the 5th International Workshop on Equine Allergy and Hypersensitivity, to be held in Portugal in September 2026. This workshop will bring together leading researchers, clinicians, and experts in the field to advance our understanding of equine allergic diseases, identify critical knowledge gaps, and foster meaningful collaborations.

The scientific program will cover the following hypersensitivity diseases of horses with a main focus on the immune response:

• Equine insect bite hypersensitivity (Culicoides hypersensitivity): Affects ~10% of horses worldwide, with prevalence exceeding 50% in Icelandic horses exported as adults to Culicoides-endemic areas.

• Recurrent urticaria and atopic dermatitis: Increasingly observed in horses, yet poorly understood.

• Equine asthma (formerly RAO, IAD): Impacts over 50% of adult horses, with severe forms leading to chronic coughing and respiratory distress in more than 10% of affected animals.

These conditions represent major welfare and economic challenges, with treatment options remaining insufficient.