dog and cat assay data sheet

Mycoplasma haemocanis (formerly Haemobartonella canis)

Test code: B0048 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of Mycoplasma haemocanis by real time polymerase chain reaction

Mycoplasma haemocanis (formerly Haemobartonella canis) is a red blood cell parasite that causes disease mainly in immunosuppressed and splenectomized dogs. Clinical outbreaks of the disease occasionally occur.

Similar to Mycoplasma haemofelis, the bacteria can be transmitted from one animal to another by blood-feeding arthropods such as fleas and ticks. M. haemocanis infection is a widespread latent disease in kennel-raised dogs and infection rates can vary from approximately 30 % to 87 %. Although treatment of infected dogs with antibiotics may control acute infection, antibiotics cannot completely clear the bacteria in the blood, resulting in many infected dogs becoming carriers.

Mycoplasma haemocanis has not been successfully grown in agar or cell cultures due to its fastidious growth requirements. Traditionally, diagnosis relied on microscopic identification of organisms attached to the surfaces of erythrocytes in Wright-Giemsa-stained peripheral blood smears. However, this method not only lacks sensitivity but also is not adequately specific because the morphology of M. haemocanis can easily be confused with other microorganisms such as rickettsia. Molecular detection by PCR is the most sensitive and specific way of detecting M. haemocanis in the blood of infected dogs having both acute and latent infections, even during challenge with immunosuppressive drugs which would prevent detection by serological techniques.

Utilities:

• Confirm the disease causing agent
• Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of Mycoplasma haemocanis infection
• Ensure that dog populations are free of M. haemocanis
• Early prevention of spread of M. haemocanis among a group of dogs
• Minimize human exposure to M. haemocanis

Specimen requirement: 0.5 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) or ACD (yellow top) tube.

For specimen types other than those listed here, please call to confirm specimen acceptability and shipping instructions.

For all specimen types, if there will be a delay in shipping, or during very warm weather, refrigerate specimens until shipped and ship with a cold pack unless more stringent shipping requirements are specified. Frozen specimens should be shipped so as to remain frozen in transit. See shipping instructions for more information.

Turnaround time: 2 business days

Methodology: Qualitative real time PCR

Normal range: Nondetected