Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Hemotropic mycoplasma infection found in 25% of dogs in southern Chile
By Soto, Francisco et al.·Published in Comparative immunology, microbiology and infectious diseases·2017·Institute of Veterinary Clinical Sciences·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Occurrence of canine hemotropic mycoplasmas in domestic dogs from urban and rural areas of the Valdivia Province, southern Chile.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A study found that 24.8% of dogs in southern Chile tested positive for hemotropic mycoplasmas, which are tiny bacteria that can affect the blood. The research showed that these infections were more common in male dogs and those living in rural areas, with older dogs also at higher risk. Symptoms might include fatigue or weakness, but the study didn't specify any clinical signs. The findings highlight the need for awareness of these infections, especially in rural settings.
People also search for: dog blood infection symptoms · hemoplasma in dogs treatment · rural dog health issues
Abstract
This is the first study to investigate the occurrence, risk factors and hematological findings of hemoplasmas in dogs from Chile. Complete blood count and 16S rRNA conventional PCR for Mycoplasma spp. were performed in 278 blood samples from rural (n=139) and urban (n=139) dogs in Valdivia. Real time 16S rRNA PCR (qPCR) allowed species identification. Mycoplasma spp. occurrence was 24.8%. 'Candidatus M. haematoparvum' (CMhp) was identified in 12.2% and Mycoplasma haemocanis (Mhc) in 11.9% dogs. It was not possible to identify species in two Mycoplasma spp. samples by qPCR. Sequencing allowed identifying one of them as 'Candidatus M. turicensis' (CMt). Frequency in rural localities was higher (41.7%) than in urban (7.9%). Rural locality, maleness and older age were risk factors for hemoplasmosis. Hemoplasma-positive dogs had a higher total protein. This is the first report of Mhc, CMhp and CMt in dogs from Chile, with a high occurrence in rural localities.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28131382/