Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate whether haemotropic Mycoplasma species are detected in pet cats in Latvia, to perform a phylogenetic analysis of the detected pathogens and to report a clinical case of feline infectious anaemia. Methods Peripheral blood samples (n = 125) from pet cats were submitted; 99 samples were adequate to test for the presence of Mycoplasma species DNA by nested PCR. A clinical case was added in the later stages of the study. Positive isolates were subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Results The prevalence of ‘ Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ was 15% (n = 15/99), that of Mycoplasma haemofelis was 5% (5/99) and that of ‘ Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis’ was 2% (n = 2/99). Cases of coinfection included ‘ Candidatus M haemominutum’ + M haemofelis (4%; n = 4/99) and ‘ Candidatus M haemominutum’ + ‘ Candidatus M turicensis’ (1%; n = 1/99). This is the first published report of M haemofelis infection in the Baltic states. Two different ‘ Candidatus M turicensis’ isolates were discovered after phylogenetic analysis. Conclusions and relevance This report is the first of an autochthonous feline infectious anaemia case in the Baltic region. The prevalence of Mycoplasma species was similar to that in other northern European countries. Phylogenetic analysis revealed variability of the isolates; one of the ‘ Candidatus M turicensis’ genotypes was detected for the first time in Europe.

Parafasciolopsosis is a parasitological disease which is caused by the liver fluke Parafasciolopsis fasciolaemorpha. This parasite which belongs to herbivores often causes invasion in elks (Alces alces). The aim of our study was to diagnose the parasite and investigate what kind of histopathological changes it caused in the liver tissue. The study took place in Parasitology. During the study from 2017 to 2018 we collected liver samples and faeces from 46 felled elks of different age and gender, from all over Latvia. Ten grams of faeces were examined for trematode eggs by sedimentation method and a section of liver was examined for the presence of flukes and the histological structure of the liver. In this study Parafasciolopsis fasciolaemorpha were found in 11 samples of liver from 46 elks, with invasion extensity of 24%. The histopathological examination of the liver samples revealed fibrosis, proliferation of bile ducts, pericholangitis, calcerous deposits in bile ducts and other notable histological changes in the liver tissue that can cause hepatic trematodes.