Hofmann-Lehmann
Fakultäten » Vetsuisse-Fakultät » Nutztiere, Departement für » Veterinärmedizinisches Labor » Prof. Dr. Regina Hofmann-Lehmann » Hofmann-Lehmann
Completed research project
| Title / Titel | Prevalence, risk factor analysis, and follow-up of infections caused by three feline hemoplasma species in cats in Switzerland | ||||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | Haemobartonella felis, the causative agent of feline infectious anemia, has recently been reclassified as a hemotropic mycoplasma (hemoplasma) and two different species have been recognized worldwide, named Mycoplasma haemofelis and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’. In experimental infection studies, M. haemofelis seemed more pathogenic than ‘Candidatus M. haemominutum’ and an influence of retroviral status on the clinical manifestation of the latter is suspected. Recently, we identified a third novel and unique feline hemoplasma isolate, designated ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis’, in a Swiss cat with a history of severe intravascular hemolysis. After experimental transmission to two specific-pathogen-free (SPF) cats, ‘Candidatus M. turicensis’ induced mild to severe anemia. Phylogenetic analyses, based on the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequence data, revealed that ‘Candidatus M. turicensis’ was closely related to M. coccoides and M. haemomuris, both rodent hemoplasma species. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence, clinical manifestations and risk factors for infection for all three feline haemoplasma species in a sample of 713 healthy and ill Swiss cats using newly designed quantitative real-time PCR assays. ‘Candidatus M. haemominutum’ infection was detected in 7.0% and 8.7%, and M. haemofelis in 2.3% and 0.2%, of healthy and ill cats, respectively. ‘Candidatus M. turicensis’ was only detected in six ill cats (1.1%); three of them were co-infected with ‘Candidatus M. haemominutum’. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of 12 Swiss hemoplasma isolates revealed > 98% similarity with published sequences. Hemoplasma infection was associated with male gender, outdoor access and old age, but not with retrovirus infection, and was more frequent in certain areas of Switzerland. ‘Candidatus M. haemominutum’-infected ill cats were more frequently diagnosed with renal insufficiency and exhibited higher renal blood parameters than uninfected ill cats. No correlation between hemoplasma load and PCV was found, although several hemoplasma infected cats, some co-infected with FIV or FeLV, showed hemolytic anemia. High M. haemofelis loads (> 9 x105 copies/ml blood) seem to lead to anemia in acutely infected cats but not in recovered long-term carriers. Repeated evaluation of 17 cats documented that the infection was acquired in one case by blood transfusion and that there were important differences among species in whether or not antibiotic administration led to resolution of bacteremia. | ||||||||
| Publications / Publikationen | Willi, B., F. S. Boretti, V. Cattori, M.L. Meli, M. D. Doherr, C. E. Reusch, R. Hofmann-Lehmann. 2006. Feline Haemoplasmen in der Schweiz: Identifikation einer neuen, dritten Spezies, Diagnose, Prävalenz und klinische Bedeutung. SAT 148: 139-150.Willi, B., F. S. Boretti, C. Baumgartner, S. Tasker, B. Wenger, V. Cattori, M. L. Meli, C. E. Reusch, H. Lutz, and R. Hofmann-Lehmann. 2006. Prevalence, risk factor analysis and follow-up of infections with the three feline hemoplasma species in cats in Switzerland. J Clin Microbiol 44: 961-969. | ||||||||
| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | Haemobartonella felis, hemotropic mycoplasma, feline infectious anemia, prevalence, quantitative real-time PCR, 16S rRNA gene | ||||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
Forschungskredit der Universität Zürich, Foundation |
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| In collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Feb 2003 to Dec 2006 |