Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
New blood parasite found in splenectomized Bull Mastiff with blood
By Sykes, Jane E et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2004·Department of Medicine and Epidemiology, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Identification of a novel hemotropic mycoplasma in a splenectomized dog with hemic neoplasia.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A 3-year-old Bull Mastiff had surgery to remove his spleen due to a blood clot and received several blood transfusions. Two weeks later, he was diagnosed with a type of cancer called T-cell lymphoproliferative disease. While being treated with prednisone and chlorambucil, a blood test showed unusual tiny bodies on his red blood cells, which were similar to a type of bacteria called Mycoplasma. This finding suggests that he may have a new type of hemotropic mycoplasma infection, which could complicate his condition.
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Abstract
A 3-year-old sexually intact male Bull Mastiff underwent splenectomy for splenic thrombosis; prior to and after splenectomy, multiple blood transfusions were administered. Two weeks after the procedure, T-cell lymphoproliferative disease was diagnosed. Treatment with prednisone and chlorambucil was initiated, and 2 weeks later, cytologic examination of a blood smear revealed small (0.3 microm), coccoid basophilic bodies on the surface of approximately 70% of the RBCs. Morphologically, these resembled "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum." A polymerase chain reaction assay was used to amplify a partial 16S rRNA sequence in blood obtained from the dog; the product was sequenced and compared with 16S rRNA gene sequences of other hemotropic mycoplasmas. The sequence was 98% homologous to that of "Candidatus M haemominutum", but only 77% homologous to that of M haemocanis and M haemofelis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15230449/