Feline infectious anemia (FIA) is an
infectious disease
An infection is the invasion of tissues by pathogens, their multiplication, and the reaction of host tissues to the infectious agent and the toxins they produce. An infectious disease, also known as a transmissible disease or communicable d ...
found in
felines
The Felinae are a subfamily of the family Felidae. This subfamily comprises the small cats having a bony hyoid, because of which they are able to purr but not roar.
Other authors have proposed an alternative definition for this subfamily: as c ...
, causing
anemia
Anemia or anaemia (British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, or a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin. When anemia comes on slowly, ...
and other symptoms. The disease is caused by a variety of
infectious agents, most commonly ''
Mycoplasma haemofelis'' (formerly called ''Haemobartonella'' before ''Haemobartonella'' and ''Eperythrozoon'' species were reclassified as
mycoplasma
''Mycoplasma'' is a genus of bacteria that, like the other members of the class '' Mollicutes'', lack a cell wall around their cell membranes. Peptidoglycan ( murein) is absent. This characteristic makes them naturally resistant to antibiotic ...
s).
Coinfection
Coinfection is the simultaneous infection of a host by multiple pathogen species. In virology, coinfection includes simultaneous infection of a single cell by two or more virus particles. An example is the coinfection of liver cells with h ...
often occurs with other infectious agents, including
feline leukemia virus
Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) is a retrovirus that infects cats. FeLV can be transmitted from infected cats when the transfer of saliva or nasal secretions is involved. If not defeated by the animal's immune system, the virus weakens the cat's ...
(FeLV),
feline immunodeficiency virus
Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a '' Lentivirus'' that affects cats worldwide, with 2.5% to 4.4% of felines being infected.
FIV was first isolated in 1986, by Niels C Pedersen and Janet K. Yamamoto at the UC Davis School of Veterinary ...
(FIV), ''
Ehrlichia'' species, ''
Anaplasma phagocytophilum'' and
Candidatus
In prokaryote nomenclature, ''Candidatus'' (Latin for candidate of Roman office) is used to name prokaryotic phyla that are well characterized but yet-uncultured. Contemporary sequencing approaches, such as 16S sequencing or metagenomics, provid ...
''Mycoplasma haemominutum''.
[Prevalence of Infectious Agents and Anti-Erythrocyte Antibodies in Cats with Anemia ACVIM 2009. K. L. Dowers; A. G. Miller; C. B. Webb; R. F. Keegan; A. C. Avery; P. K. Kiser; M. R. Lappin, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA]
References
External links
Feline Infectious AnemiaAnemia in Cats .. Cause, Signs, Diagnosis and Treatment{{Webarchive, url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110530173734/http://oldvet.com/anemia-in-cats-causesignsdiagnosis-and-treatment/ , date=2011-05-30
Cat diseases