Horse microchip used in allergy testing may be the next step for human chips

An allergen microchip developed at the Medical University of Vienna can be used to identify allergic sensitivy in horses.

This is the main finding of an international study recently published in leading journal “Allergy.”

Science Daily noted “The study showed that horses develop an antibody reaction by producing immunoglobulin E — similar to the IgE profile in humans. IgE is an antibody primarily intended to defend against parasites but it is also responsible for allergies and is an important biomarker for the early detection of allergies. Even in the case of horses, a single drop of blood is enough to test for allergies using the allergen microchip.”

“Our best friends are more like us than we perhaps thought – even in terms of their immune system,” says the lead author of the study, Erika Jensen-Jarolim.

VeriTeq microchip

Here’s what was next:

This first of all requires a clinical investigation to ascertain whether and to what extent these allergens are linked to the allergic reactions commonly found in horses, such as coughs, colic and skin problems. “However, just like the IgE test in human allergy sufferers, our results are, at any rate, a strong indication of the direction to take in further diagnostic investigations,” says Jensen-Jarolim. The allergen chip is already being successfully used for diagnosing allergies in humans and is now available for horses as well. Similar tests are currently being developed for dogs too — these study findings should be available in the near future.

Horsetalk normalizes the use, so it’s easy to see how the transition to humans will continue:

The allergen chip is already being successfully used for diagnosing allergies in humans and is now available for horses as well.

Similar tests are being developed for dogs too – these study findings should be available in the near future.

Affected horses could then be put on an elimination diet that totally avoids any suspected allergens to see whether their symptoms improve.

About the Author

Brandon Jones - Writer and Co-Founder of The Global Dispatch, Brandon has been covering news, offering commentary for years, beginning professionally in 2003 on Crazed Fanboy before expanding into other blogs and sites. Appearing on several radio shows, Brandon has hosted Dispatch Radio, written his first novel (The Rise of the Templar) and completed the three years Global University program in Ministerial Studies to be a pastor. To Contact Brandon email [email protected] ATTN: BRANDON