Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat in Finland diagnosed with Anaplasma infection
By Heikkilä, Helka M et al.·Published in Acta veterinaria Scandinavica·2010·Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in a domestic cat in Finland: Case report.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A domestic cat in Finland was brought to the vet with symptoms of fever, lethargy, and not wanting to eat. After testing, the cat was diagnosed with anaplasmosis, an infection caused by a bacterium often spread by ticks. The vet started treatment with doxycycline, an antibiotic that is effective against this infection. Following treatment, the cat showed improvement and began to feel better.
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: Anaplasmosis is a vectorborne disease caused by the gram-negative bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum. This species displays positive tropism to granulocytes and can cause illness in several mammalian species, including cats, dogs, and humans. It is considered as an emerging disease in Europe. The clinical signs are nonspecific and include fever, lethargy, and inappetence. The most typical hematologic abnormality is thrombocytopenia. A tentative diagnosis can be made by detecting intracytoplasmic morulae inside neutrophils. The diagnosis is confirmed by PCR and serology in paired serum samples. A sample for PCR analysis should be taken before treatment. Anaplasmosis is treated with doxycycline. CASE PRESENTATION: A feline case of anaplasmosis is presented. The history, clinical presentation, diagnostics, treatment, and follow-up are discussed. CONCLUSIONS: This case indicates that Anaplasma phagocytophilum infects cats in Finland. To provide accurate treatment, anaplasmosis should be listed as a differential diagnosis in cats suffering from acute febrile illness with previous tick exposure.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21078141/