Caprine serum fraction immunomodulator as supplemental treatment of lower respiratory disease in the horse.
Authors: Hamm D, Willeford K O, White G, Reed S M, Hamm J
Journal: Equine veterinary journal
Summary
# Equine Lower Respiratory Disease: Immunomodulator as Adjunctive Therapy Suppurative lower airway disease represents a significant therapeutic challenge in performance horses, with conventional antibiotic monotherapy proving inadequate in many cases. Hamm and colleagues conducted two dose-response studies followed by a multi-centre field trial (80 horses across four clinics) to evaluate whether caprine serum fraction immunomodulator (CSFI)—a nonspecific immune stimulant—could improve recovery rates when administered alongside standard antibiotic protocols. Intramuscular doses of 60 or 120 mg CSFI, given one week apart, demonstrated marked superiority over controls: 100% of supplemented horses showed weekly clinical improvements and full recovery by week three, compared with only 10% of antibiotic-only controls in the initial studies; the expanded trial confirmed these findings, with 75% of CSFI-treated horses recovering versus 35% of controls on antibiotics alone. Lower doses (15–30 mg) proved ineffective, indicating a clear dose-threshold effect. For practitioners managing recalcitrant lower respiratory cases, particularly those with poor response to antimicrobials, CSFI supplementation at therapeutic doses warrants consideration as an adjunctive strategy to enhance immune clearance and expedite clinical recovery.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Caprine serum fraction immunomodulator at 60 mg i.m. (two injections one week apart) may significantly improve recovery from lower respiratory disease when combined with conventional antibiotic therapy, doubling recovery rates in field conditions
- •Consider CSFI as supplemental treatment for recalcitrant lower airway disease in performance horses when conventional therapy alone is failing
- •Dosing matters: only higher doses (60-120 mg) showed efficacy; lower doses (15-30 mg) were ineffective
Key Findings
- •100% of horses receiving 60 or 120 mg CSFI showed significant improvement by week 3, compared to 10% recovery with antibiotics alone in dose-response studies
- •75% of horses treated with supplemental 60 mg CSFI recovered versus 35% in control group receiving conventional antibiotic therapy in field trial
- •Combined data showed 86% overall recovery rate with CSFI supplementation
- •Doses of 15 or 30 mg CSFI did not differ significantly from control, indicating dose-dependent efficacy