%0 Journal Article
%T A multicenter case-control study of risk factors for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis.
%A Cohen ND
%A Mackay RJ
%A Toby E
%A Andrews FM
%A Barr BS
%A Beech J
%A Bernard WV
%A Clark CK
%A Divers TJ
%A Furr MO
%A Kohn CW
%A Levy M
%A Reed SM
%A Seahorn TL
%A Slovis NM
%J J Am Vet Med Assoc
%V 231
%N 12
%D Dec 2007 15
%M 18081525
%F 1.836
%R 10.2460/javma.231.12.1857
%X <B>OBJECTIVE: </B>To identify risk factors for equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) among horses examined at 11 equine referral hospitals.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Case-control study.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>183 horses with EPM, 297 horses with neurologic disease other than EPM (neurologic controls), and 168 horses with non-neurologic diseases (non-neurologic controls) examined at 11 equine referral hospitals in the United States.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>A study data form was completed for all horses. Data were compared between the case group and each of the control groups by means of bivariate and multivariate polytomous logistic regression.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Relative to neurologic control horses, case horses were more likely to be > or = 2 years old and to have a history of cats residing on the premises. Relative to non-neurologic control horses, case horses were more likely to be used for racing or Western performance.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Results indicated that cats may play a role in the natural epidemiology of EPM, that the disease is less common among horses < 2 years of age relative to other neurologic diseases, and that horses used for particular types of competition may have an increased risk of developing EPM.