biostudies-literatureMcGorum BCThe Horse TrustBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council70https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC8501654biostudies-literatureUnknown3(1)<h4>Background</h4>Equine grass sickness (EGS) is a multiple systems neuropathy of grazing horses of unknown aetiology. An apparently identical disease occurs in cats, dogs, rabbits, hares, sheep, alpacas and llamas. Many of the risk factors for EGS are consistent with it being a pasture mycotoxicosis. To identify potential causal fungi, the gastrointestinal mycobiota of EGS horses were evaluated using targeted amplicon sequencing, and compared with those of two control groups. Samples were collected post mortem from up to 5 sites in the gastrointestinal tracts of EGS horses (EGS group; 150 samples from 54 horses) and from control horses that were not grazing EGS pastures and that had been euthanased for reasons other than neurologic and gastrointestinal diseases (CTRL group; 67 samples frAnimal microbiomeEquine grass sickness (a multiple systems neuropathy) is associated with alterations in the gastrointestinal mycobiome.PMC8501654BBS/E/D/30002276G1016Wilkinson TTaylor JMcLachlan GMcGorum BCChen ZGweon HSPirie RSKeen JAIvens AGlendinning LHunt LfalseEquine grass sickness (a multiple systems neuropathy) is associated with alterations in the gastrointestinal mycobiome.<h4>Background</h4>Equine grass sickness (EGS) is a multiple systems neuropathy of grazing horses of unknown aetiology. An apparently identical disease occurs in cats, dogs, rabbits, hares, sheep, alpacas and llamas. Many of the risk factors for EGS are consistent with it being a pasture mycotoxicosis. To identify potential causal fungi, the gastrointestinal mycobiota of EGS horses were evaluated using targeted amplicon sequencing, and compared with those of two control groups. Samples were collected post mortem from up to 5 sites in the gastrointestinal tracts of EGS horses (EGS group; 150 samples from 54 horses) and from control horses that were not grazing EGS pastures and that had been euthanased for reasons other than neurologic and gastrointestinal diseases (CTRL group; 67 samples fr2021-01-01T00:00:00Z2021 Oct2026-07-16T14:40:26.314Z2025-04-04T10:56:07.482ZS-EPMC85016543462740710.1186/s42523-021-00131-2