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| ==Description== | | ==Description== |
| Neonatal isoerythrolysis is a disease of humans and domestic animals and has been observed in newborn cats, horses, pigs, cows and rarely in dogs. It is characterised by immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia due to ingestion of maternal colostral antibody directed against surface antigens on neonatal red blood cells. The maternal antibodies develop in response to specific foreign blood group antigens during previous pregnancies, unmatched transfusions, and from Babesia and Anaplasma vaccinations in cattle. | | Neonatal isoerythrolysis is a disease of humans and domestic animals and has been observed in newborn cats, horses, pigs, cows and rarely in dogs. It is characterised by immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia due to ingestion of maternal colostral antibody directed against surface antigens on neonatal red blood cells. The maternal antibodies develop in response to specific foreign blood group antigens during previous pregnancies, unmatched transfusions, and from Babesia and Anaplasma vaccinations in cattle. |
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| ==Pathogenesis== | | ==Pathogenesis== |
| ===Feline neonatal isoerythrolysis=== | | ===Feline neonatal isoerythrolysis=== |
− | Although feline neonatal isoerythrolysis (FNA) is rare, the mortality associated with it is high. FNI develops when type B blood mothers mate with type A tomcats. Type B cats have naturally occurring anti-A antibodies without prior exposure. FNI affects the A, or AB blood type kitten, born from a B blood type mother by getting anti-A antibodies when it starts suckling | + | Although feline neonatal isoerythrolysis (FNA) is rare, the mortality associated with it is high. FNI develops when type B blood mothers mate with type A tomcats. Type B cats have naturally occurring anti-A antibodies without prior exposure. FNI affects the A, or AB blood type kitten, born from a B blood type mother by receiving anti-A antibodies when it ingests maternal colostrum. |
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| + | ===Equine neonatal isoerythrolysis=== |
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| ==Clinical signs== | | ==Clinical signs== |
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| Affected foals appear clinicall normal at birth. | | Affected foals appear clinicall normal at birth. |
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| + | ===Cats=== |
| + | In a similar way to affected foals, kittens are born and nurse normally and clinical signs develop within a few hours or days. Clinical signs may include dark red/brown urine, icterus, weakness, anaemia. |
| + | ==Neonatal Isoerytholysis (NI)== |
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− | It can naturally occur in humans (Rhesus disease) and foals (neonatal isoerytholysis) and can be induced in pigs and cattle by vaccines containing allotypic red blood cell antigens.
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− | ==Neonatal Isoerytholysis (NI)==
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− | Occurs in some foals, and always occurs in mules due to the incompatibility of the sire and dams blood types.
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| '''First pregnancy from a stallion with incompatible blood type to the mare:''' | | '''First pregnancy from a stallion with incompatible blood type to the mare:''' |
− | * Mare is mated with a stallion with an incompatible blood type.
| + | Following mating of a mare and stallion with incompatible blood types, the neonate inherits the sire's blood type. At parturition, or because of placentitis, RBCs from the foal enter the maternal circulation. The surface of the foal's RBCs possess an antigen (usually Aa or Qa) that the mare's RBCs lack. The mare begins to mount an immune response towards the foal's RBCs. There are no antibodies against the foal's RBCs in the mare's colostrum as there has not been sufficient time to mount an immune attack and secrete them into the colostrum. The foal's intestine stops absorbing maternal antibodies after 30 hours (as previously discussed) and thus, when the alloantibody is secreted in the milk, it does not affect the foal. |
− | * The neonate may inherit the sire's blood type.
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− | * At parturition, or because of placentitis, RBCs from the foal enter the maternal circulation.
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− | * The surface of the foal's RBCs possess an antigen (usually Aa or Qa) that the mare's RBCs lack.
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− | * The mare begins to mount an immune response towards the foal's RBCs.
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− | * There are no antibodies against the foal's RBCs in the mare's colostrum as there has not been sufficient time to mount an immune attack and secrete them into the colostrum.
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− | * The foal's intestine stops absorbing maternal antibodies after 30 hours (as previously discussed) and thus, when the alloantibody is secreted in the milk, it does not affect the foal.
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| '''Subsequent pregnancy from the same stallion or same blood group as previously exposed to''' | | '''Subsequent pregnancy from the same stallion or same blood group as previously exposed to''' |
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| * When the foal's intestines are no longer able to absorb maternal antibody (approximately 30 hours post partum) it is safe to return the foal to the mare. | | * When the foal's intestines are no longer able to absorb maternal antibody (approximately 30 hours post partum) it is safe to return the foal to the mare. |
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− | Almost all mule pregnancies result in NI due to the mare lacking a factor called donkey factor.
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| ==References== | | ==References== |