Hemotropic micoplasmas and Cytauxzoon felis in cats from shelters and catteries: occurrence and molecular diversity

• Grant number: 15/09745-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: November 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Clinics and Surgery
• Principal Investigator: Mitika Kuribayashi Hagiwara
• Grantee: Laiz Yukari Shirayama
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The hemoplasmas, Mycoplasma haemofelis, 'Candidatus M. haemominutum', 'Candidatus M. turicensis', and the hemoprotozoan, Cytauxzoon felis are significant pathogens for cats because they are responsible for important diseases. They can cause asymptomatic and persistent infection in feline population. The three species of hemoplasmas are associated with hemolytic anemias of varying degrees according to the mycoplasma species, the infection may result in death. C. felis infection causes sudden death due to severe vascular occlusion. Feline cytauxzoonosis, an emerging infectious disease with an expanding geographic distribution, it has been little studied by molecular techniques in Brazil. Due to the importance of the cat as a pet, their longer life expectancy, blood transfusions increase for this specie, and frequent grouping of several cats in the same household, it is important to know the occurrence of these pathogens in this species. In addition, there are few studies on molecular variability of C. felis and hemoplasmas of felines in Brazil. The aim of this study is to evaluate the occurrence of Mycoplasma haemofelis, 'Candidatus M. haemominutum', 'Candidatus M. turicensis' and Cytauxzoon felis in 137 cats from shelters and catteries, from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, as well as study the molecular variability of positive samples for these pathogens through DNA sequencing.