2024 journal article

A case of mistaken identity: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and reinvestigation of hemotropic <i>Mycoplasma</i> spp. infection in <i>Ctenocephalides felis</i> (cat flea)

PARASITES & VECTORS, 17(1).

By: C. Moore n, E. Lashnits*, M. Lappin*, J. Hawley* & E. Breitschwerdt n

author keywords: Ctenocephalides felis; Cat flea; Hemotropic mycoplasma; Vector-borne; Flea-borne pathogen; Mycoplasma haemofelis; Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis; Mycoplasma haemominutum
Source: Web Of Science
Added: May 20, 2024

Feline-associated hemotropic Mycoplasma (hemoplasmas) are believed to be transmitted by two primary mechanisms: (1) direct transmission via fighting and (2) vector-borne transmission by the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis). While the efficiency of transmission by C. felis appears low, most manuscripts focus on the prevalence of hemoplasmas in wild-caught fleas and report either a very low (< 3%) or a high (> 26%) prevalence. Therefore, we aimed to assess the influence of sample processing and PCR methods on C. felis hemoplasma infection prevalence.