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Erythema multiforme and its clinicopathological disorders in a horse

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Abstract

A case of erythema multiforme in an 11-year-old mare which had received no medication is presented with a history of foaling. This horse displayed a gradual outbreak of erythematous macules, raised papules, and nonalopecic and nonpruritic plaques over the lateral aspects of the neck and shoulders to rump without involvement of the dorsum and ventral abdomen. The distribution of these skin lesions was bilateral but asymmetric. Histopathological findings included mild hydropic degeneration and scattered apoptotic keratinocytes especially at different layers of the epidermis. The dermis showed a marked full-thickness edema particularly at epidermodermal junction with moderate diffused infiltration of mixed eosinophils, lymphocytes, plasma cells, and macrophages at different portions of the dermis. Presence of the eosinophils was very notable. An inciting etiology could not be identified in this case. Affected horse had spontaneous remission without drug therapy within 3.5 months.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to L. Shirvani, G. Yousefi, and H. Yazdanpour from the Pathobiology Department of Veterinary School, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran for their technical assistance.

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Correspondence to A. Oryan.

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Oryan, A., Ghane, M. & Ahmadi, N. Erythema multiforme and its clinicopathological disorders in a horse. Comp Clin Pathol 19, 179–184 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00580-009-0846-3

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