Mycoplasma species in cats with lower airway disease: improved detection and species identification using a polymerase chain reaction assay.
There is some evidence that Mycoplasma species may be associated with lower airway disease in cats. Retrospective and prospective studies were carried out on a total population of 76 cats but failed to identify any cases of Mycoplasma species infection by bacterial culture alone. The overall prevalence of bacterial infection (15.8%) was also lower than that identified in previous studies. When a molecular detection technique, the PCR-DGGE, was employed the prevalence of Mycoplasma species detected was 15.4%, with M felis, M gateae and M feliminutum species identified, although the significance of these Mycoplasma species in feline lower airway disease remains in question. However, the PCR-DGGE technique allowed species identification and indicated the presence of M feliminutum, a species not previously isolated from the lower airways of cats.
University of Edinburgh Hospital for Small Animals, Easter Bush Veterinary Centre, Roslin, UK. nreed1@staffmail.ed.ac.uk
Nicki
N
Reed
Kerry
K
Simpson
Roger
R
Ayling
Robin
R
Nicholas
Danielle
D
Gunn-Moore
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D002415:Cats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009174:Mycoplasma / Q000145:classification* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000382:microbiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity