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Mhf can vary in shape from cocci to rods and are sometimes present as chains of organisms on the cell surface.
Mhf can vary in shape from cocci to rods and is sometimes present as chains of organisms on the cell surface.
==Transmission==
==Transmission==
The pathogenesis of Mhf is not fully understood. It is thought that the presence of the parasite on the surface of the red blood cells may induce antibody production<ref name="Hagiwara"></ref>. The anaemia, which is primarily extravascular, may be due to direct damage of erythrocytes by the organism or as a result of the antibodies produced by the infected animal <ref name="Wardrop"></ref>.
The pathogenesis of Mhf is not fully understood. It is thought that the presence of the parasite on the surface of the red blood cells may induce antibody production<ref name="Hagiwara"></ref>. The anaemia, which is primarily extravascular, may be due to direct damage of erythrocytes by the organism or as a result of the antibodies produced by the infected animal <ref name="Wardrop"></ref>.
Cats can produce an immune response which results in the disappearance of organisms and an increase in haematocrit.
Cats can produce an immune response which results in the disappearance of organisms from the blood. Production of uninfected erythrocytes can then result in an increase in haematocrit.
It is thought that recovered cats can become subclinical carriers, with the potential for the disease to recrudesce if the animal is in a stressed state eg pregnancy, illness. (69)
It is thought that recovered cats can become subclinical carriers, with the potential for the disease to recrudesce if the animal is in a stressed state eg pregnancy, illness<ref name = "Harvey">Harvey JW and Gaskin JM (1978)Feline haemobartonellosis;attempts to induce relapses of clinical disease in chronically infected cats.'''J Am Anim Hosp Assoc'''14:453</ref>
==Clinical signs==
==Clinical signs==
==Differential diagnosis==
==Differential diagnosis==
There are multiple causes of both regenerative and non-regenerative anaemia in cats which must be considered as differential diagnoses when investigating a case of an anaemic cats.
There are multiple causes of both regenerative and non-regenerative anaemia in cats which must be considered as differential diagnoses.
==Prognosis==
==Prognosis==
Prognosis for infected cats is related to the severity of the anaemia at presentation. If an animal survives the initial anaemia prognosis for recovery is good. However, antibiotics do not clear the infection so many cats become carriers of the organism. Affected animals also may have intercurrent disease such as retroviral infections which will also affect diagnosis.
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==Notes==
==References==
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==References==
==Extra references==
Merck & Co (2008) '''The Merck Veterinary Manual''' (Eighth Edition) ''Merial''
Merck & Co (2008) '''The Merck Veterinary Manual''' (Eighth Edition) ''Merial''