Publikationsdatenbank

Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection in cats:
a literature review to raise clinical awareness (2020)

Art

Zeitschriftenartikel / wissenschaftlicher Beitrag

Autoren

Schäfer, Ingo (WE 20)

Kohn, Barbara (WE 20)

Quelle

Journal of feline medicine and surgery : official journal of the European Society of Feline Medicine

Bandzählung: 22

Heftzählung: 5

Seiten: 428 – 441

ISSN: 1098-612x

Sprache

Englisch

Verweise

URL (Volltext): https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1098612X20917600

DOI: 10.1177/1098612X20917600

Pubmed: 32326861

Kontakt

Klein- und Heimtierklinik

Oertzenweg 19 b
14163 Berlin
+49 30 838 62422
kleintierklinik@vetmed.fu-berlin.de

Abstract / Zusammenfassung

Practical relevance:
Granulocytic anaplasmosis is a disease in humans and animals caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Anaplasma phagocytophilum within the family Anaplasmataceae. The pathogen is transmitted by ticks of the Ixodes species. Infections with A phagocytophilum have often been described in dogs but reports on natural infections in cats are rare. An infection with A phagocytophilum should be considered as a differential diagnosis in cats if the history reveals tick infestation and/or outdoor access in combination with the relevant clinical signs.

Global importance:
A phagocytophilum is also important in human medicine because of its zoonotic potential. Due to the risk of vector-borne infections for both feline and public health, cats should be protected with ectoparasiticides, especially in endemic areas.

Aim:
The aim of this review is to give an overview of the published data and summarise the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, clinical signs and therapy of feline granulocytic anaplasmosis. As clinical signs are vague and non-specific, this review aims to raise awareness of A phagocytophilum infection, both among clinicians, so that they consider testing potentially exposed cats, and scientists, in order to prompt further research.

Evidence base:
Sixteen publications describing 55 cats have been reviewed. Thirty-four cats were well diagnosed based on guidelines of the European Advisory Board on Cat Diseases and blood analyses were performed to varying extents for these cats. Because of the limited number of studies and a lack of knowledge in cats, clinical signs and blood analyses are compared with available data in dogs.