Information about the premises where each horse came from is also required. This information is collected in the form of soil and pasture samples and a further questionnaire. For each grass sickness case recruited to the study we also require information from two unaffected horses that live either on the same pasture as the grass sickness case or a pasture that is close by. Our study area predominantly consists of the North West of England and the North of Wales. All the above information is collected within a few days of each grass sickness case being diagnosed.
All information is treated with the utmost confidentiality.
The aim of the project is to investigate the role of Clostridium botulinum in equine grass sickness. Recent experimental data suggest that the 1920's hypothesis is worthy of re-evaluation. Epidemiological techniques will also play an important role in the research. The results of this research will enable us to establish disease avoidance strategies. These strategies will be most useful to those horse owners who know that their animals are grazing previously affected pastures.