Feline Red Blood Cell Parasites

Tasker S, Peters IR, Papasouliotis K, et al. Description of outcomes of experimental infection with feline haemoplasmas: copy numbers, haematology, Coombs' testing and blood glucose concentrations. Vet Microbiol. Nov 18 2009;139(3-4):323-332.

Feline hemoplasma infections are caused by three separate organisms that infect red blood cells, but only one of these, Mycoplasma haemofelis, causes hemolysis with significant disease. However, investigation of clinical parameters following experimental infection with each of the three organisms has not been done. The investigators studied ten cats infected with Mycoplasma haemofelis (“HF” group), three cats infected with candidatus M. haemominutum (“HM” group), and three cats infected with candidatus M. turicensis (“TU” group). The cats were followed for 85 days post infection. Using quantitative PCR, they found the TU cats had significantly lower amounts of organisms in their blood than the other groups, and were negative for the organism by 45 days after infection. All HF cats developed significant anemias. While HM and TU group cats did not have anemia or clinical signs, both groups experienced a drop in red blood cell levels for the first three weeks post infection. Only the HF cats had positive results on the Coombs assay, indicating the presence of antibodies to red blood cells. Severe hypoglycemia has been reported in some animals other than cats following hemoplasma infections. In this study, blood glucose levels for all three groups remained in the normal range. While the size of the groups was small, particularly the HM and TU groups, this study does demonstrate the increased pathogenicity of M. haemofelis compared to the other hemoplasmas. [MK]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Peters IR, Helps CR, Willi B, Hofmann-Lehmann R, Tasker S. The prevalence of three species of feline haemoplasmas in samples submitted to a diagnostics service as determined by three novel real-time duplex PCR assays. Vet Microbiol. 2008;126(1-3):142-150.
>>PubMed Abstract

Sykes JE, Terry JC, Lindsay LL, Owens SD. Prevalences of various hemoplasma species among cats in the United States with possible hemoplasmosis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. Feb 1 2008;232(3):372-379.
>>PubMed Abstract

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Tasker S, Peters IR, Papasouliotis K, et al. Description of outcomes of experimental infection with feline haemoplasmas: copy numbers, haematology, Coombs' testing and blood glucose concentrations. Vet Microbiol. Nov 18 2009;139(3-4):323-332.

Feline hemoplasma infections are caused by three separate organisms that infect red blood cells, but only one of these, Mycoplasma haemofelis, causes hemolysis with significant disease. However, investigation of clinical parameters following experimental infection with each of the three organisms has not been done. The investigators studied ten cats infected with Mycoplasma haemofelis (“HF” group), three cats infected with candidatus M. haemominutum (“HM” group), and three cats infected with candidatus M. turicensis (“TU” group). The cats were followed for 85 days post infection. Using quantitative PCR, they found the TU cats had significantly lower amounts of organisms in their blood than the other groups, and were negative for the organism by 45 days after infection. All HF cats developed significant anemias. While HM and TU group cats did not have anemia or clinical signs, both groups experienced a drop in red blood cell levels for the first three weeks post infection. Only the HF cats had positive results on the Coombs assay, indicating the presence of antibodies to red blood cells. Severe hypoglycemia has been reported in some animals other than cats following hemoplasma infections. In this study, blood glucose levels for all three groups remained in the normal range. While the size of the groups was small, particularly the HM and TU groups, this study does demonstrate the increased pathogenicity of M. haemofelis compared to the other hemoplasmas. [MK]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Peters IR, Helps CR, Willi B, Hofmann-Lehmann R, Tasker S. The prevalence of three species of feline haemoplasmas in samples submitted to a diagnostics service as determined by three novel real-time duplex PCR assays. Vet Microbiol. 2008;126(1-3):142-150.
>>PubMed Abstract

Sykes JE, Terry JC, Lindsay LL, Owens SD. Prevalences of various hemoplasma species among cats in the United States with possible hemoplasmosis. J Am Vet Med Assoc. Feb 1 2008;232(3):372-379.
>>PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
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Recurrence of Feline Uroliths

Albasan H, Osborne C, Lulich J, et al. Rate and frequency of recurrence of uroliths after an initial ammonium urate, calcium oxalate, or struvite urolith in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2009;235(12):1450-1455.

This case-controlled study was performed through the Minnesota Urolith Center. The objective was to determine the frequency of and interval until recurrence after initial ammonium urate, calcium oxalate and struvite uroliths in cats and whether breed, age, or gender was associated with increased risk for recurrence. In 1998, 4,435 cats were evaluated for an initial urolith episode and between 1998 and 2003 for recurrence episodes. Ammonium urate uroliths were found in 221 cats and 13.1% had an initial recurrence with a mean interval to recurrence of 22 months. Calcium oxalate uroliths were found in 2,393 cats and 7.1% had an initial recurrence with a mean interval of 25 months. Of 1,821 cats with struvite uroliths, 2.7% had a recurrence with a mean interval of 29 months. In all three types of uroliths, the largest percentage was located in the lower urinary tract. The study noted a low frequency of recurrence after struvite uroliths. The authors also noted it is likely that calcium oxalate and purine uroliths require at least 6 months to recur. Infection-induced struvite uroliths constitute an estimated 1 to 2% of uroliths retrieved from cats. An association was found in this study between recurrent episodes after initial calcium oxalate and struvite uroliths and older cats. The study also indicated a possible association between Persians and ammonium urate uroliths. Norwegian Forest Cats and Manx cats are at an increase risk for development of calcium oxalate uroliths, yet the number of these cats was small in this study. The majority of the uroliths (94%) found in the first recurrent episodes were identical to that of the initial urolith. Therefore, the composition of an initial urolith may be used as an estimate of the composition of subsequent uroliths. [VT]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Osborne CA, Lulich JP, Kruger JM, Ulrich LK, Koehler LA. Analysis of 451,891 canine uroliths, feline uroliths, and feline urethral plugs from 1981 to 2007: perspectives from the Minnesota Urolith Center. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2009;39(1):183-197.
>> PubMed Abstract

Lulich JP, Osborne CA. Changing paradigms in the diagnosis of urolithiasis. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2009;39(1):79-91.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
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Albasan H, Osborne C, Lulich J, et al. Rate and frequency of recurrence of uroliths after an initial ammonium urate, calcium oxalate, or struvite urolith in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2009;235(12):1450-1455.

This case-controlled study was performed through the Minnesota Urolith Center. The objective was to determine the frequency of and interval until recurrence after initial ammonium urate, calcium oxalate and struvite uroliths in cats and whether breed, age, or gender was associated with increased risk for recurrence. In 1998, 4,435 cats were evaluated for an initial urolith episode and between 1998 and 2003 for recurrence episodes. Ammonium urate uroliths were found in 221 cats and 13.1% had an initial recurrence with a mean interval to recurrence of 22 months. Calcium oxalate uroliths were found in 2,393 cats and 7.1% had an initial recurrence with a mean interval of 25 months. Of 1,821 cats with struvite uroliths, 2.7% had a recurrence with a mean interval of 29 months. In all three types of uroliths, the largest percentage was located in the lower urinary tract. The study noted a low frequency of recurrence after struvite uroliths. The authors also noted it is likely that calcium oxalate and purine uroliths require at least 6 months to recur. Infection-induced struvite uroliths constitute an estimated 1 to 2% of uroliths retrieved from cats. An association was found in this study between recurrent episodes after initial calcium oxalate and struvite uroliths and older cats. The study also indicated a possible association between Persians and ammonium urate uroliths. Norwegian Forest Cats and Manx cats are at an increase risk for development of calcium oxalate uroliths, yet the number of these cats was small in this study. The majority of the uroliths (94%) found in the first recurrent episodes were identical to that of the initial urolith. Therefore, the composition of an initial urolith may be used as an estimate of the composition of subsequent uroliths. [VT]
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Osborne CA, Lulich JP, Kruger JM, Ulrich LK, Koehler LA. Analysis of 451,891 canine uroliths, feline uroliths, and feline urethral plugs from 1981 to 2007: perspectives from the Minnesota Urolith Center. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2009;39(1):183-197.
>> PubMed Abstract

Lulich JP, Osborne CA. Changing paradigms in the diagnosis of urolithiasis. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract. 2009;39(1):79-91.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
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