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Hofmann-Lehmann

Fakultäten » Vetsuisse-Fakultät » Nutztiere, Departement für » Veterinärmedizinisches Labor » Prof. Dr. Regina Hofmann-Lehmann » Hofmann-Lehmann

Completed research project

Title / Titel Real-time PCR investigation of possible transmission routes and reservoirs of feline hemoplasmas
PDF Abstract (PDF, 14 KB)
Summary / Zusammenfassung Three hemotropic mycoplasmas (hemoplasmas) have been identified in pet cats: Mycoplasma haemofelis, ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum’ and ‘Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis’. The way of transmission of these agents is largely unknown. Thus, this study aimed to investigate indirect, direct and interspecies transmission of feline hemoplasmas by examining fleas, ticks and rodents as well as saliva and feces from infected cats for the presence of hemoplasmas. DNA was extracted from arthropods and rodent blood or tissue samples from Switzerland and from salivary and fecal swabs from two experimentally and six naturally infected cats. All samples were analyzed with real-time PCR assays and some positive samples confirmed by sequencing. Feline hemoplasmas were detected in cat fleas and in few Ixodes sp. and Rhipicephalus sp. ticks directly collected from animals, but not in ticks collected from vegetation or in rodent samples, although the latter were frequently Mycoplasma coccoides PCR-positive. When investigating shedding patterns of feline hemoplasmas, ‘Candidatus M. turicensis’ DNA was detected in salivary and fecal swabs in the early but not in the late phase of infection. M. haemofelis and ‘Candidatus M. haemominutum’ DNA was not amplified from saliva and feces of naturally infected cats, despite of high hemoplasma blood loads. Our results suggest that, besides an ostensible indirect transmission by fleas, a direct transmission through saliva and feces in the early phase of infection could play a role in the epidemiology of feline hemoplasmas. Rodents and ticks were not found to be relevant reservoirs of feline hemoplasmas in Switzerland.
Publications / Publikationen Willi, B., F.S. Boretti, S. Tasker, M.L. Meli, N. Wengi, C.E. Reusch, H. Lutz, and R. Hofmann-Lehmann. 2007. From Haemobartonella to hemoplasma: molecular methods provide new insights. Vet Microbiology 125:197-209.

Willi, B., F. S. Boretti, M. L. Meli, M. V. Bernasconi, S. Casati, D. Hegglin, M. Puorger, H. Neimark, V. Cattori, N. Wengi, C. E. Reusch, H. Lutz, and R. Hofmann-Lehmann. 2007. Real-time PCR investigation of potential vectors, reservoirs and shedding patterns of feline hemotropic mycoplasmas. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 73:3798-3802.
Keywords / Suchbegriffe Haemobartonella felis, hemotropic mycoplasma, hemoplasma, cat, rodent, transmission, tick, flea, saliva, feces
Project leadership and contacts /
Projektleitung und Kontakte
Prof. Dr. Regina Hofmann-Lehmann (Project Leader) rhofmann@vetclinics.uzh.ch
Dr. Barbara Willi bwilli@vetclinics.uzh.ch
Dr. Felicitas Boretti fboretti@vetclinics.uzh.ch
Prof. Dr. Hans Lutz hlutz@vetclinics.uzh.ch
Funding source(s) /
Unterstützt durch		 Forschungskredit der Universität Zürich, Foundation
 
In collaboration with /
In Zusammenarbeit mit
Dr. M.V. Bernasconi, Zoological Museum, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Dr. S. Casati, Istituto Cantonale di Microbiologia, Bellinzona, Switzerland
Prof. Dr. P. Deplazes and Dr. D. Hegglin, Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Prof. F. Ehrensperger and M. Puorger, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland
Prof. Dr. C.E. Reusch and Dr. F. Boretti, Clinic for Small Animal Internal Medicine, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, Switzerland		 Switzerland

Dr. H. Neimark, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, State University of New York, USA

United States
Duration of Project / Projektdauer Jan 2003 to Jan 2007
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