dog and cat assay data sheet

Mycoplasma haemofelis (formerly Haemobartonella felis) - aka "feline infectious anemia" or "feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis"

Test code: B0047 - Ultrasensitive qualitative detection of Mycoplasma haemofelis by real time polymerase chain reaction

B0047 is included on P0021 - feline bloodborne panel and on P0040 - feline anemia panel

Hemobartonellosis in cats is caused by Mycoplasma haemofelis, previously known as Haemobartonella felis. Cats infected with this organism typically develop regenerative anemia as the bacteria attack the cat's red blood cells.

Similar to Mycoplasma haemocanis, the bacteria can be transmitted from one animal to another by blood-feeding arthropods such as fleas and ticks. M. haemofelis can also be transmitted from female cats with clinical disease to their newborn offspring in the absence of arthropod vectors. The severity of disease produced by M. haemofelis varies, from cats that are mildly anemic and without clinical signs to cats that are markedly depressed and die as a result of severe anemia. The most common clinical signs in ill cats are depression, weakness, anorexia, weight loss and pale mucous membranes. Studies have estimated the prevalence of this bacterium in the feline population from 0.9 to 28%.

Mycoplasma haemofelis 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. haemofelis can easily be confused with other microorganisms such as rickettsia. Molecular detection by PCR is the best way to detect M. haemofelis in blood of infected cats. Using PCR analysis, it is possible to detect the pathogen in blood samples obtained from cats during parasitemia, during most of the carrier phase, and even after challenge with immunosuppressive drugs which would prevent detection by serological techniques.

Utilities:

• Help confirm the disease causing agent
• Shorten the time required to confirm a clinical diagnosis of Mycoplasma haemofelis infection
• Help ensure that cat populations are free of M. haemofelis
• Early prevention of spread of M. haemofelis among a group of cats
• Minimize human exposure to M. haemofelis

Specimen requirement: 0.2 ml whole blood in EDTA (purple top) tube.

Contact Zoologix if advice is needed to determine an appropriate specimen type for a specific diagnostic application. For specimen types not listed here, please contact Zoologix 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