Vol. 10, Special Issue 12 (2021)

Mycoplasma haemofelis and Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (formerly known as Haemobartonella felis) are the causes of hemotropic mycoplasmosis in cats. The haemoplasma organisms attach on to the surface of the red blood cells and have the potential to cause severe alterations in the shape of RBC’s, resulting in anaemia. Among the cats presented to Veterinary Hospital, Veterinary College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, seventy eight cats were suspected for Haemotropic Mycoplasmosis and were included for detailed study. Detailed clinical examination was done for all the suspected cats. Peripheral blood smear stained with Giemsa stain were examined for primary identification of the organisms. Among seventy eight cats screened,

12 (15 %) animals were found positive for haemotropic mycoplasma organisms by blood smear examination. The blood samples were further subjected to DNA extraction followed by Polymerase Chain Reaction for confirmation of Haemoplasmosis. The occurrence of Mycoplasma haemofelis and Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum was found to be five per cent and thirteen per cent respectively. Polymerase chain reaction was considered to be more sensitive technique for diagnosis of Haemotropic Mycoplasmosis than cytology as PCR assay was based on amplification of 16S rRNA gene of haemoplasma and different species of mycoplasmas can be differentiated by PCR.