Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Feline hemotropic mycoplasmas causing anemia and diagnosis in cats
By Sykes, Jane E·Published in The Veterinary clinics of North America. Small animal practice·2010·Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Feline hemotropic mycoplasmas.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A cat with hemolytic anemia (a condition where the body destroys red blood cells) was found to be infected with a type of bacteria called Mycoplasma haemofelis. This infection can make cats very sick, but the good news is that it can be treated effectively with doxycycline, an antibiotic. It's important for pet owners to be aware that other types of mycoplasmas can also be present without causing anemia, so a thorough diagnosis is essential. With proper treatment, cats can recover from this infection and regain their health.
People also search for: cat anemia treatment · Mycoplasma haemofelis in cats · doxycycline for cat infections
Abstract
Three species of hemotropic mycoplasmas are known to infect cats worldwide, Mycoplasma haemofelis, "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" and "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum." These organisms were previously known as Haemobartonella felis, but are now known to be mycoplasmas. Assays based on polymerase chain reaction technology are the most sensitive and specific diagnostic tests available for these organisms. M haemofelis is the most pathogenic species, and causes hemolytic anemia in immunocompetent cats. Other differential diagnoses for hemolytic anemia should be considered in cats testing positive for "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" and "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum," because the presence of these organisms is not always associated with anemia. Blood from infected cats should be handled with care because of the potential zoonotic nature of hemoplasma infections. The treatment of choice for cats with clinical disease is doxycycline.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20933142/