EXOone M. haemofelis/M. haemocanis

Description

Mycoplasma haemofelis and Mycoplasma haemocanis are haemotropic mycoplasmas that parasitize the surface of erythrocytes in cats and dogs, respectively. These wall-less bacteria cannot be cultured in vitro and require molecular methods for reliable detection.
Infection may lead to hemolytic anemia, lethargy, weight loss and reduced performance, particularly in young or immunocompromised animals, while subclinical carrier states are also common and contribute to persistence.
Conventional detection based on blood smears has limited sensitivity, especially in low parasitemia. Real-time PCR enables rapid, sensitive and specific detection of haemoplasma DNA directly from clinical samples.
This assay detects both M. haemofelis and M. haemocanis without differentiation, allowing broad screening of haemotropic mycoplasma infections in companion animals.