Co-infection with Anaplasma platys, Bartonella henselae, Bartonella koehlerae and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' in a cat diagnosed with splenic plasmacytosis and multiple myeloma.
Anaplasma platys (Apl), 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' (CMh), Bartonella henselae (Bh) and Bartonella koehlerae (Bk) were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and DNA sequencing in a cat diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Other inconsistently documented hematologic abnormalities included anemia, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia and hypoglycemia. Persistent Apl infection was confirmed for the first time in a North American cat by sequencing three bacterial genes (16S rRNA, p44 and GroEL) in peripheral blood samples collected 100 days apart. Following doxycycline treatment for Apl, multiple myeloma was diagnosed based upon a monoclonal gammopathy and splenic plasmacytosis, and the cat was treated with melphalan, chlorambucil and prednisolone. Apl DNA was not amplified from post-treatment blood samples and the hyperglobulinemia resolved temporarily following chemotherapy. Retrospective PCR analysis of stored DNA extracts identified CMh, Bk and Bh infections. Retrospective PCR for antigen receptor rearrangements (PARR) of splenic aspirates did not confirm B- or T-cell clonality. Co-infection with multiple vector-borne pathogens should be a diagnostic consideration in cats with chronic hypergammaglobulinemia, monoclonal gammopathy and splenic plasmacytosis.
Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC, USA.
Barbara A
BA
Qurollo
Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC, USA.
Nandhakumar
N
Balakrishnan
Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC, USA.
Coralie Zegre
CZ
Cannon
Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC, USA.
Ricardo G
RG
Maggi
Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University (NCSU), Raleigh, NC, USA ed_breitschwerdt@ncsu.edu.
Edward B
EB
Breitschwerdt
D000818:Animals; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000662:veterinary; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002415:Cats; D060085:Coinfection; D004318:Doxycycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D009175:Mycoplasma Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary
D004318:Doxycycline