no edit summary
Line 4: Line 4:     
==Introduction==
 
==Introduction==
Feline Infectious Anaemia, caused by '''''Mycoplasma haemofelis''''' (Mhf), is a regenerative anaemia of cats. The disease occurs worldwide and should be considered as a differential diagnosis for any cat presenting with anaemia.   
+
Feline Infectious Anaemia is a regenerative anaemia of cats caused by '''''Mycoplasma haemofelis''''' (Mhf). The disease occurs worldwide and should be considered as a differential diagnosis for any cat presenting with anaemia.   
    
==Aetiology==
 
==Aetiology==
Mhf is one of a group of organisms known as haemotropic mycoplasmas which infect several other domestic animal species. The causative organism was previously called Haemobartonella felis and thus the disease was known as haemobartonellosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays allowing DNA analysis resulted in the reclassification of the organism in 2001<ref name="Niemark">Niemark H, Johansson KE, Rikihisa Y, et al (2001) Proposal to transfer some members of the genera ''Haemobartonella'' and ''Eperythrozoon'' to the genus ''Mycoplasma'' with descriptions of Candidatus ''Mycoplasma haemofelis'', Candidatus ''Mycoplasma haemomuris'', Candidatus ''Mycoplasma haemosuis'' and Candidatus ''Mycoplasma wenyonii'' '''Int J Sys Evol Microbiol 51(3) pp891-9</ref>. Two other haemotropic mycoplasmas (''Candidatus M. haemominutum'' and ''Candidatus M. turicensis'') have been identified in cats but appear to be less pathogenic<ref name="Sykes">Sykes, JE (2010) Feline Hemotropic Mycoplasmas '''Vet Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice''' pp. 1157-1170</ref>.
+
Mhf is one of a group of organisms known as haemotropic mycoplasmas which infect many mammalian species. The causative organism was previously called '''''Haemobartonella felis''''' and thus the disease was known as haemobartonellosis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays allowing DNA analysis resulted in the reclassification of the organism as a mycoplasma in 2001<ref name="Niemark">Niemark H, Johansson KE, Rikihisa Y, et al (2001) Proposal to transfer some members of the genera ''Haemobartonella'' and ''Eperythrozoon'' to the genus ''Mycoplasma'' with descriptions of Candidatus ''Mycoplasma haemofelis'', Candidatus ''Mycoplasma haemomuris'', Candidatus ''Mycoplasma haemosuis'' and Candidatus ''Mycoplasma wenyonii'' '''Int J Sys Evol Microbiol 51(3) pp891-9</ref>. Two other haemotropic mycoplasmas (''Candidatus M. haemominutum'' (Mhm) and ''Candidatus M. turicensis'' (Mtc)) have also been identified in cats but appear to be less pathogenic<ref name="Sykes">Sykes, JE (2010) Feline Hemotropic Mycoplasmas '''Vet Clinics of North America: Small Animal Practice''' pp. 1157-1170</ref>.
      −
Mhf can vary in shape from cocci to rods and are sometimes present in chains on the cell surface.
+
Mhf can vary in shape from cocci to rods and are sometimes present as chains of organisms on the cell surface.
      Line 22: Line 22:     
==Signalment==
 
==Signalment==
The major group at risk for Mhf infection are young male cats who spend time outdoors. In many areas of the world an association has been shown between Mhf and retroviral infections<sup>2</sup>. It has been demonstrated that cats infected with Mhf and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) are likely to develop more severe anaemia that cats infected only with Mhf<sup>3</sup>.  
+
The major group at risk for Mhf infection are young male cats who spend time outdoors. In many areas of the world an association has been shown between Mhf and retroviral infections<ref name="Sykes">. It has been demonstrated that cats infected with Mhf and feline leukaemia virus (FeLV) are likely to develop more severe anaemia that cats infected only with Mhf<sup>3</sup>.  
    
==Pathogenesis==
 
==Pathogenesis==
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<sup>4</sup>. 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 <sup>2</sup>.
+
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<sup>4</sup>. 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">.
    
==Clinical signs==
 
==Clinical signs==
82

edits