Molecular Characterization of Hemoparasites and Hemoplasmas Infecting Domestic Cats of Southern India.

Abstract

In the present study, 111 blood samples were collected from apparently healthy cats belonging to four districts of Kerala, southern India, and they were investigated for the presence of hemoparasites and hemoplasmas by light microscopic examination and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The microscopic examination of the Giemsa-stained blood smears did not reveal any parasites/organisms. However, PCR followed by nucleotide sequencing could detect 10 (9.01%) out of 111 samples infected with, 3 (2.70%) withspp., and 10 (9.01%) withspp. None of the samples revealed amplicons specific for thespp. and. The phylogenetic analysis of 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences ofrevealed the existence of two different populations ofcirculating in the blood of infected cats. The phylogenetic tree was constructed based on 18S rRNA gene sequences ofspp. and revealed that these isolates formed a distinct clade and do not cluster with any of the isolates from other countries. Among the 10 samples positive forspp. infections, 7 were detected positive forMycoplasma haemominutum, two for, and one forMycoplasma turicensis. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences ofspp. showed no distinct geographical grouping of the sequences. The sequences ofM. haemominutum, andM. turicensis identified in the study clustered along with their respective isolates from around the world. To the best of our knowledge, this study forms the first report of molecular detection ofspp. andM. turicensis in cats from India.