Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) also known as sweet itch in the equestrian industry, is an allergic skin reaction in horses caused by biting midges from the genus Culicoide and the black fly Simuliidae.

Clinical signs of IBH present with hair loss, alopecia, lesions, blister pustules, and serous effusions. The areas of skin commonly affected are the face, mane, tail, rump, and ventral midline which can lead to secondary, and in some cases very severe microbial infections. The microorganisms associated with IBH linked infections are the gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the gram-positive bacteria Enterococcus faecium, Streptococcus zooepidermicus, and Staphylococcus aureus, and the Trichophyton fungi genus.

Research has shown protective horse blankets have a minimal resistance against the proliferation of bacteria once the equine is bitten and are limited in stopping the biting insects from penetrating the fabric layer. However, there have been significant advancements in the use of natural fibres for their antimicrobial properties and applied modifications using novel nanomaterials within the medical field, wound healing, and fashion textiles.

This research will evaluate the performance of different fabric structures made from selected natural fibres and explore the antimicrobial potential of natural fibres against IBH-relevant microorganisms. The antimicrobial activity of selected textiles will be enhanced using antimicrobial nanomaterials and the long-term activity will be determined under real-life conditions. The research aims to develop a textile sample with enhanced antimicrobial activity to kill potentially pathogenic microorganisms and provide technical specifications to allow for new product design in blanket protection against IBH in equines.