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Section: Information In-depth
Feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis is an infectious disease caused by the parasite Mycoplasma haemofelis. It causes hemolytic anemia, a type of anemia where the body destroys its own red blood cells because they "look different" to the immune system. The disease was first described in the United States in 1953.The causative agent, Mycoplasma haemofelis, is a parasite that affects the surface of feline red blood cells. A large study performed in 1990 helped establish the prevalence of Mycoplasma haemofelis in the general cat population and identify risk factors. The prevalence of feline hemotropic mycoplasmosis was determined to be 4.9 percent in all cats. As might be expected, in healthy cats the prevalence is a bit lower (3.6 percent), while in sick cats, it's a bit higher (7.5 percent). The true prevalence of the disease may be underestimated because of the difficulty diagnosing the disorder.
Anemia is defined as a low red blood cell count. Anemia can be caused by a number of different processes, including blood loss, red blood cell destruction, and inadequate red blood cell production.
Hemolytic anemia is a disease process in which the red blood cells, the cells that carry oxygen and impart a red color to blood, are destroyed, resulting in a decreased number in the bloodstream. This...
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a viral disease of domestic cats that impairs immune system function and causes some types of cancer.
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