The Molecular Identification of Mycoplasma haemofelis and Mycoplasma haemominutum in Cats Suffering from Haemoplasmosis in Thailand

Abstract

Haemotrophic Mycoplasma is the obligatory bacteria formerly classified to the genus Haemobartonella. This blood mycoplasma is responsible for the cause of a cat disease, haemoplasmosis or feline infectious anemia (FIA). The housed cats evidenced by cachexia, high fever and a certain degree of anemic condition have been reported with FIA worldwide. However, this disease is only a presumptive case in Thailand where the disease is presumably endemic. We examined two cats suffering from FIA tested with the standard microscopic examination. With the destruction of erythrocytes, one cat had only a mild clinical condition while the other was severe. The parasitized red cells of these cats were unconvincingly indicated by microscopy and the species of this pathogen was highly undefined. We used the molecular methods of detection and identification to confirm the presence of blood mycoplasma. The species differentiation of Mycoplasma was also performed. The standard PCR and DNA sequencing were able to elaborate the two most important species of FIA that were Mycoplasma haemofelis and Mycoplasma haemominutum.