title: Use of a PCR assay to assess the prevalence and risk factors for Mycoplasma haemofelis and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' in cats in the United Kingdom.
abstract: Blood samples from 426 healthy and sick cats in the UK were tested in a PCR assay for 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' and Mycoplasma haemofelis (basonym Haemobartonella felis). Seventy-two of the cats (16.9 per cent) were positive for 'Candidatus M. haemominutum' alone, six (1.4 per cent) were positive for M. haemofelis alone and one (0.2 per cent) was positive for both. Logistic regression analysis indicated that older male cats were significantly more likely to be infected with 'Candidatus M. haemominutum', but there was no significant association between it and any of the haematological variables measured. M. haemofelis infection was uncommon in the anaemic cats sampled, and there were too few positive cases for multivariable analysis to be performed for M. haemofelis-positive status.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Veterinary Science, University of Bristol, Langford, Bristol.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tasker
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Binns
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Gruffydd-Jones
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Harbour
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Helps
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Olver
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lappin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers