To identify the prevalence of DNA of Mycoplasma haemofelis, Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum, Anaplasma phagocytophilum; Bartonella spp, Neorickettsia spp, and Ehrlichia spp in blood of cats used as blood donors in the United States, a prospective study was undertaken in 146 actively used blood donor cats.

Environmental history was requested for each blood donor cat, and polymerase chain reaction assays capable of amplifying the DNA of these microorganisms were performed after DNA extraction from donor cat blood samples.

DNA of one or more infectious agent was detected in blood samples from 16 of 146 (11%) feline blood donors. Laboratory-reared cats (n=28) housed in a teaching hospital had negative DNA results for all organisms investigated. Amplification of the DNA from blood samples of 16 of 118 (13.6%) community-source cats were positive for M. haemominutum, M. haemofelis, or Bartonella henselae alone or in various combinations. Of the community-source cats allowed outdoors (n = 61) or with known flea exposure (n = 44), DNA for a hemoplasma or B. henselae was detected in 21.3% and 22.7%, respectively.

Conclusions. When community-source cats, cats allowed outdoors, or cats exposed to fleas are to be used as blood donors, they should be regularly assessed for infection with M. haemofelis, M. haemominutum, and Bartonella spp, and flea control treatment should be regularly provided.

Reference: Hackett et al, JAVMA 229:700-705, 2006.