Natural hemoplasma infection of cats in Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, Brazil

• Published in: Semina. Ciências agrárias : revista cultural e científica da Universidade Estadual de Londrina Vol. 39; no. 2; pp. 875 - 880
• Main Authors: Makino, Herica, Paula, Daphine Ariadne Jesus de, Sousa, Valéria Regia Franco, Mendonça, Adriane Jorge, Dutra, Valéria, Nakazato, Luciano, Almeida, Arleana Do Bom Parto Ferreira de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Londrina 01.03.2018
• Subjects: Felinos; Hemoplasma; Mycoplasma; Ocorrência; PCR
• ISSN: 1676-546X; 1679-0359
• DOI: 10.5433/1679-0359.2018v39n2p875

The aim of this research was to investigate natural hemoplasma infection in cats treated at the Veterinary Hospital of the Federal University of Mato Grosso, and the factors associated with infection. Blood samples from 151 cats of different sexes, breeds, and ages were analyzed by PCR and blood count. The overall occurrence of hemoplasma was 25.8%. Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf), ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (CMhm)’, and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis’ (CMt) were observed in 15.2%, 14.6% and 2.6% of cats, respectively. In 6.6 % of cases, co-infection was observed. Male felines or mixed breed cats were associated with infection by CMhm (P = 0.02 and 0.04, respectively). The data obtained demonstrated an occurrence of 25.8% for hemoplasma infection in felines coming from clinical care in the city of Cuiabá, where males were at higher risk of acquiring the infection by these agents, in addition to a higher risk for CMhm in felines with no specific breed.