Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Cat with Mycoplasma haemofelis infection and hemophagocytic syndrome
By Strandberg, Natalia J et al.·Published in Veterinary clinical pathology·2023·Department of Comparative Pathobiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Hemophagocytic syndrome in a cat with Mycoplasma haemofelis infection.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A six-year-old male domestic shorthair cat was brought to the vet after showing signs of extreme tiredness, not eating, and not drinking for a week. The cat was weak, had pale gums, and was breathing with its mouth open. Blood tests showed low red and white blood cells, and imaging revealed an enlarged spleen and lymph nodes. The vet diagnosed hemophagocytic syndrome, a serious condition where the body attacks its own blood cells, likely triggered by a Mycoplasma haemofelis infection. Treatment details weren't specified, but recognizing the infection early is crucial for recovery.
People also search for: cat lethargy and not eating · Mycoplasma haemofelis treatment · cat breathing problems · hemophagocytic syndrome in cats
Abstract
A six-year-old, castrated male domestic shorthair cat was presented for a week-long history of lethargy, acute anorexia, and adipsia. On presentation, the cat was weak with pale mucous membranes, open-mouth breathing, and mild popliteal lymphadenomegaly. Routine bloodwork revealed bicytopenia due to marked non-regenerative anemia and moderate thrombocytopenia; erythrocyte clumping was apparent on the blood smear, but no agglutination was noted on a saline dispersion test. Abdominal and thoracic imaging showed marked splenomegaly and multiple mildly enlarged lymph nodes. Aspirates from the bone marrow and spleen contained many erythrophagocytic macrophages and occasional lymphocytes containing engulfed erythrocytes. The macrophages also occasionally contained phagocytosed erythroid precursors, platelets, and leukocytes. A diagnosis of hemophagocytic syndrome was made based on the presence of bicytopenia and increased numbers of hemophagocytic macrophages in the spleen and bone marrow. Though no organisms were observed, Mycoplasma spp. infection was suspected and confirmed via PCR. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a hemophagocytic syndrome in a cat with Mycoplasma haemofelis. Lymphocyte engulfment of erythrocytes has been previously reported in a cat with M. haemofelis infection. Both hemophagocytic syndrome and engulfment of erythrocytes by lymphocytes should prompt testing for Mycoplasma spp. even with a lack of evident parasitemia.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37025047/