HAEMOPLASMOSIS IN CATS

HAEMOTROPICMYCOPLASMAS• Haemoplasmas are haemotropic

bacteria that parasitise red bloodcells.

• Three main haemoplasmas infectcats: Mycoplasma haemofelis,'Candidatus Mycoplasmahaemominutum' and 'CandidatusMycoplasma turicensis'.

• Mycoplasma haemofelis is the mostpathogenic form.

• Cats get infected probably duringfights or by vector transmission.Blood transfusion is anotherpossibility.

• Feline haemoplasmas aredistributed worldwide.

• Infection with 'Ca. M.haemominutum' is more prevalent inolder cats because they have anincreasing chance of acquiringchronic subclinical infection.

Clinical signsClinical signs on the degree of anemia,the stage of infection and the immunestatus of infected cats

• Lethargy• Weakness• Reduced appetite• Dehydration• Intermittent pyrexia• Pallor due to anaemia• Tachycardia, tachypnoea, week

pulses when severe anaemia ispresent

• Hepatosplenomegaly• Icterus is uncommon• In chronic or subclinical infections few

clinical signs may be present andanemia (if present) may be mild

Clinical pathology• Regenerative

macrocytic hypochromic anaemia

• Leucopenia, lymphopenia, eosinopenia and monocytosis

• Possible positiveCoomb's test

• Autoagglutination• Hyperbilirubinaemia• Mildly increased liver

enzyme activity

When to suspect infection?Male, non-pedigree cats with outdoor access (prone to roamingand fighting behaviour) are predisposed to infection with M. haemofelis.

How can it be confirmed?

• Blood smear cytology, stainedwith Romanovsky type stain -haemoplasmas may be seen on the surface of erythrocytesbut this is very insensitive. Especially prolonged EDTA storage might detach parasitesfrom erythrocyte surface andmaking the test negative. Thetest cannot differentiatehaemoplasma species,isinexpensive but timeconsuming.

• PCR - the method of choice.More sensitive and specific than cytology. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) allow quantificationof haemoplasmas - valuable inmonitoring treatment response.

• Serology - only in experimentalsettings, difficult to develop due to inabillity to culturehaemoplasmas in vitro. Currently not appropriate for routine diagnostics.

FECAVA Working Group

on Vector Borne Diseases

HAEMOTROPIC MYCOPLASMAS

HAEMOPLASMOSIS IN CATS

Photo courtesy of Prof. Gad BanethDisease management

• Doxycycline 5 mg/kg q12hPO or 10 mg/kg q24h POfor 21 days. Sometimeslonger treatment is neces-sary in an attempt to clearthe infection.

• Pradofloxacine 5 mg/kgq24h PO or 10 mg/kg q24hPO for 14 days (may bemore effective in the long-term clearing of infection).

• The response to antibioticbetween different haemo-plasmas can differ.

• Corticosteroids (Prednisolone1 mg/kg PO q24h) sometimesneeded as an adjunct ther-apy for immune-mediatedcomponent of anaemia butmost cats recover withouttheir use.

• Supportive care asneeded - correction of dehydration or bloodtransfussion in severeanaemia.

Prevention

• Screening of blood donorsby PCR.

• Keeping cats indoors whereapplicable.

• Preventative tick and fleatreatment although thevector route of infection wasnot clearly demonstrated.

• There are no vaccines forhaemoplasmas available.

Zoonotic potential

• Haemoplasma infections inhumans have been proven -with novel haemoplasmasas well as with the speciesthat originate from animals,including cats.

• Zoonotic potentialespecially forimmunocompromisedpeople can not be ruled out.

FECAVA Working Group

on Vector Borne Diseases