Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Mycoplasma infections found in shelter and pet dogs in Malaysia
By Mohd-Zahir, N A et al.·Published in Tropical biomedicine·2024·Department of Veterinary Pathology & Microbiology·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Detection of Mycoplasma haemocanis and Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum in shelter and pet dogs in Malaysia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 21.7% of dogs tested in Malaysia had a blood infection caused by Mycoplasma, which can lead to anemia, especially in dogs with weakened immune systems. Shelter dogs had a higher infection rate of 45.1% compared to pet dogs at 11.8%. The most common type found was Mycoplasma haemocanis, while only one case of another type was detected. Factors like living in urban areas and the presence of rodents were linked to higher infection rates in shelter dogs. This information highlights the need for better control measures to protect dogs from these infections.
People also search for: dog blood infection symptoms · Mycoplasma in dogs treatment · shelter dog anemia causes
Abstract
Canine haemotrophic mycoplasmosis is caused by mycoplasma haemopathogens, which includes Mycoplasma haemocanis (Mhc) and Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum (CMhp). The Mhc and CMhp pose a health risk to dogs, particularly in immunocompromised and splenectomised dogs, as they lead to haemolytic anaemia. There is scarce information on the detection of Mycoplasma in dogs in Malaysia. Therefore, this study aims to detect the presence of Mycoplasma in the blood of shelter and pet dogs and identify associated risk factors in Malaysian dog populations. Blood samples from shelter dogs in Selangor (n = 71) and pet dogs in Johor Bahru (n = 169) were collected. Conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect Mycoplasma 16S rRNA. Overall, 21.7% of the tested samples were positive, with a higher prevalence among the shelter dogs (45.1%) than pet dogs (11.8%). The Mhc was the predominant species detected, with only one case of CMhp. Risk factors associated with Mycoplasma infection in shelter dogs included urban areas, and the presence of rodents, and wild animals, but no significant associations with tick infestations were detected. These findings necessitate the importance of Mycoplasma transmission dynamics among Malaysian dog populations to assist in the implementation of control measures.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39876495/