Real-Time PCR Investigation of Potential Vectors, Reservoirs, and Shedding Patterns of Feline Hemotropic Mycoplasmas

Abstract

Three hemotropic mycoplasmas have been identified in pet cats: Mycoplasma haemofelis, "Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum," and "Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis." The way in which these agents are transmitted is largely unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate fleas, ticks, and rodents as well as saliva and feces from infected cats for the presence of hemotropic mycoplasmas, to gain insight into potential transmission routes for these agents. DNA was extracted from arthropods and from rodent blood or tissue samples from Switzerland and from salivary and fecal swabs from two experimentally infected and six naturally infected cats. All samples were analyzed with real-time PCR, and some positive samples were confirmed by sequencing. Feline hemotropic mycoplasmas were detected in cat fleas and in a few Ixodes sp. and Rhipicephalus sp. ticks collected from animals but not in ticks collected from vegetation or from rodent samples, although the latter were frequently Mycoplasma coccoides PCR positive. When shedding patterns of feline hemotropic mycoplasmas were investigated, "Ca. Mycoplasma turicensis" DNA was detected in saliva and feces at the early but not at the late phase of infection. M. haemofelis and "Ca. Mycoplasma haemominutum" DNA was not amplified from saliva and feces of naturally infected cats, despite high hemotropic mycoplasma blood loads. Our results suggest that besides an ostensibly indirect transmission by fleas, direct transmission through saliva and feces at the early phase of infection could play a role in the epizootiology of feline hemotropic mycoplasmas. Neither the investigated tick nor the rodent population seems to represent a major reservoir for feline hemotropic mycoplasmas in Switzerland.

Prevalence of Hemotropic Mycoplasmas in Healthy and Unhealthy Cats and Dogs in Spain

“…3,5,19 However, the mode of transmission of hemoplasma infection in field cases has not been confirmed, although transmission by fleas and ticks has been investigated. 21,23 In the present study, presence of coinfection with other vector-borne pathogens was significantly associated with a positive hemoplasma qPCR result. The current study is the first report in Europe to investigate and document such an association and might reflect similar vectors being involved in the transmission of these infections or a more complex host immune response associated to coinfection.…”

HemoplasmaInfection in HIV-positive Patient, Brazil

“…Additional studies have documented experimental transmission by administration of infected blood intravenously, intraperitoneally, and orally. Hemoplasma DNA is present in saliva and feces of cats, which suggests that aggressive interactions among cats involving biting may lead to transmission of the organism (12). To our knowledge, there is only 1 other report that cats can be co-infected with M. haemofelis and B. henselae (13).…”

Prevalence of Hemoplasma Infection among Cattle in the Western Part of Japan

“…M. haemobos' (Table 1). It raises a question of whether vectors for the hemoplasma transmission are unnecessary, since ticks have been suspected as a vector for feline hemoplasma infection [10]. Given the absence of vectors in winter, it will turn out that vertical transmission is most likely route of neonatal infection, since cattle may become infection while grazing in summer.…”