Diagnosis of feline haemoplasma infection in Australian cats using a real-time PCR assay

Abstract

A total of 147 cats from the Sydney area of Australia that had blood samples submitted to veterinary laboratories were tested using a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay able to detect and distinguish the two feline haemoplasma species. This sample number included two cats diagnosed with feline haemoplasma infection by routine blood smear examination. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate associations between haemoplasma infection, age, sex, breed, haematocrit (HCT) values and anaemia status. One hundred and six cats (72.1%) were negative. Thirty-four cats (23.1%) were positive for 'Candidatus M. haemominutum', six cats (4.1%) were positive for M. haemofelis and one cat (0.7%) was positive for both species. Older, male, non-pedigree cats, with lower HCT values were more likely to be infected with 'Candidatus M. haemominutum'. Significant inverse correlation was found between the amount of M. haemofelis DNA present in the blood and the HCT value. This report documents the existence of, and prevalence of, both haemoplasma species in a sample of cats in Australia and is the first to use quantitative real-time PCR in a prevalence study for haemoplasma infection.

Worldwide Occurrence of Feline Hemoplasma Infections in Wild Felid Species

“…An especially high prevalence was found in free-ranging animals, and concurrent infections with different hemoplasmas were frequently observed. Studies of hemoplasma infections in domestic cats reveal that these agents are more commonly detected in regions with warmer climates (5,18,19,29), suggesting that distinct bloodsucking arthropods may play a role in the transmission of hemoplasmas in different countries. Accordingly, we found a high sample prevalence in lions from Tanzania.…”

“…In the last few years, PCR assays have been developed for a sensitive and specific diagnosis of these agents (1,5,14), and recently published real-time PCR assays allow the quantification of the three feline hemoplasmas in the blood of infected cats (31,35). Hemoplasma infections in domestic cats have been diagnosed worldwide (5,14,18,28,29,34,35,37). However, the epidemiology and transmission of these agents are still poorly understood.…”

Estudo das infecções por hemoplasmas em cães e gatos domésticos

“…It has been stated that haemoplasma positive cats are more likely to be anaemic than negative cats (Lobetti and Tasker, 2004;Tasker et al, 2004Tasker et al, , 2009Willi et al, 2005), mainly during Mhf infection (Gentilini et al, 2009;Jenkins et al, 2013;Lobetti and Lappin, 2012;Lobetti and Tasker, 2004). However, our study as well as others Macieira et al, 2008;Martínez-Díaz et al, 2013;Spada et al, 2014;Wengi et al, 2008;Willi et al, 2006a) failed to demonstrate association between haemoplasma infection and anaemia.…”

“…Estudos anteriores observaram que gatos infectados por hemoplasmas tinham mais chances de serem anêmicos do que gatos negativos (Lobetti e Tasker, 2004;Tasker et al, 2004;Tasker et al, 2009;Willi et al, 2005), principalmente nas infecções por Mhf (Gentilini et al, 2009;Jenkins et al, 2013;Lobetti e Lappin, 2012;Lobetti e Tasker, 2004). Porém, o presente estudo, assim como outros Macieira et al, 2008;Martínez-Díaz et al, 2013;Spada et al, 2014;Wengi et al, 2008;Willi et al, 2006a) não encontrou associação entre infecção por hemoplasmas e anemia.…”

Phylogenetic Analysis of “CandidatusMycoplasma turicensis” Isolates from Pet Cats in the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa, with Analysis of Risk Factors for Infection

“…In applying PCR-based methods, M. haemofelis and "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum" infections in pet cats have been diagnosed worldwide (4,5,10,13,22,24,26). The prevalence of these two agents varies greatly in different studies performed in different countries, which may partly be due to the different sample collection methods and/or differences in the sensitivity and specificity of the PCR assays used in these studies.…”