[Intersexuality in horses]

Dtsch Tierarztl Wochenschr. 2007 Feb;114(2):50-6.
[Article in German]

Abstract

Intersexuality is a rare congenital anomaly of horses. Diagnosis of intersexuality is difficult because there are usually no specific changes in the reproductive tract visible. During a period of five years, ten patients with reduced fertility or suspected intersexuality respectively were investigated using cytogenetic, molecular genetic, histopathological and endocrinological methods. In one case a 64,XX/63,X0 mosaicism was found. In six cases male pseudohermaphroditism was verified. These patients showed a male karyotype, testes and rudimentary parts of a female reproductive tract were present. One horse was suspected to be a male pseudohermaphrodite but the gonads were not examined. One horse was suspected to be affected by an XX-sex several syndrome and in one case a SRY-negative XY-sex reversal syndrome was most likely. In the case of an XX-sex reversal syndrome, there is a female chromosomal constitution, an uterus and cranial parts of the vagina are present but also testes tissue and possibly an enlarged penis like clitoris. Here an XX-sex reversal syndrome was suspected but not confirmed as it was not possible to examine the gonads and verify tissue from testes. Therefore a pseudohermaphroditismus femininus could not be excluded. In cases of XY-sex reversal syndrome the patients show a male chromosomal constitution, parts of a female reproductive tract but no testes tissue is present. For the horse described here, a deletion of the SRY gene was the most likely cause for the XY-sex reversal syndrome.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Disorders of Sex Development / diagnosis
  • Disorders of Sex Development / genetics
  • Disorders of Sex Development / veterinary*
  • Female
  • Genitalia / abnormalities*
  • Genotype
  • Horse Diseases / diagnosis
  • Horse Diseases / genetics*
  • Horses
  • Infertility / etiology
  • Infertility / veterinary
  • Male
  • Mosaicism / veterinary
  • Phenotype
  • Sex Differentiation*