Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 8, 2026

Antigen-Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Specific Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae
06:04

Antigen-Capture Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Specific Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae

Published on: February 24, 2023

Feline hemotropic mycoplasmas

Jane E Sykes1

  • 1Department of Medicine & Epidemiology, University of California, Davis, 2108 Tupper Hall, Davis, CA 95616, USA. jesykes@ucdavis.edu

The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice
|October 12, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Three feline hemotropic mycoplasma species infect cats globally. Mycoplasma haemofelis causes anemia, while others may not. Doxycycline is the recommended treatment for clinical disease.

Area of Science:

  • Veterinary Microbiology
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Three hemotropic mycoplasma species infect cats: Mycoplasma haemofelis, "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis," and "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum."
  • Previously classified as Haemobartonella felis, these pathogens are now recognized as mycoplasmas.
  • Mycoplasma haemofelis is the most virulent species, inducing hemolytic anemia in immunocompetent felines.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current knowledge on feline hemotropic mycoplasmas.
  • To highlight diagnostic methods and clinical significance.
  • To emphasize zoonotic potential and treatment options.

Main Methods:

  • Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays are the gold standard for sensitive and specific detection.
  • Differential diagnoses for hemolytic anemia are crucial in cats infected with "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" and "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum."
  • Careful handling of blood from infected cats is advised due to zoonotic risk.

Main Results:

  • Mycoplasma haemofelis is associated with hemolytic anemia.
  • "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis" and "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum" presence does not always correlate with anemia.
  • Doxycycline is the primary treatment for symptomatic cats.

Conclusions:

  • Accurate diagnosis of hemotropic mycoplasma infections in cats is essential.
  • Clinical signs and pathogenicity vary among species.
  • Awareness of zoonotic potential and appropriate treatment is critical for feline health.

More Related Videos

Identification of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Paraffin-Embedded Feline Arterial Thrombi using Immunofluorescence Microscopy08:48

Identification of Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Paraffin-Embedded Feline Arterial Thrombi using Immunofluorescence Microscopy

Published on: March 29, 2020

Passive Administration of Monoclonal Antibodies Against H. capsulatum and Others Fungal Pathogens09:57

Passive Administration of Monoclonal Antibodies Against H. capsulatum and Others Fungal Pathogens

Published on: February 14, 2011

Related Concept Videos

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes01:24

Bacterial Phylum Tenericutes

The phylum Tenericutes, which includes the single class Mollicutes, comprises bacteria that lack cell walls. The term "Mollicutes" derives from the Latin word mollis, meaning "soft." These organisms are among the smallest known and are commonly referred to as mycoplasmas due to the prominence of the genus Mycoplasma, which includes well-known human pathogens. Despite their inability to stain gram-positively (a result of their lack of cell walls), mycoplasmas are phylogenetically related to the...
Toxoplasmosis01:28

Toxoplasmosis

Toxoplasmosis, a zoonotic disease caused by the protozoan Toxoplasma gondii, poses significant public health challenges globally due to its high seroprevalence and varied clinical manifestations. As an obligate intracellular parasite, T. gondii can infect all warm-blooded vertebrates, but felids are its only definitive hosts, shedding unsporulated oocysts into the environment. Humans typically acquire the infection through ingestion of tissue cysts in undercooked meat or oocysts from...
Cytomegalovirus Disease01:27

Cytomegalovirus Disease

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is caused by human cytomegalovirus, a double-stranded DNA virus of the Herpesviridae family. While primary CMV infection is often asymptomatic in immunocompetent individuals, the virus can cause severe disease in neonates and immunocompromised patients. CMV is the most common cause of congenital viral infection in the United States, and a major pathogen in solid organ and hematopoietic stem cell transplant recipients.CMV is transmitted via bodily fluids, sexual...
Atypical Pneumonia01:14

Atypical Pneumonia

Atypical pneumonia, often caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, is a form of pulmonary infection that differs from the classical presentation of bacterial pneumonia in both its cause and clinical symptoms. Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a pleomorphic bacterium notable for its lack of a rigid cell wall. This structural characteristic imparts resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics and significantly influences the bacterium’s behavior within the human host.Other pathogens responsible for the disease include...