Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection associated with strong inflammatory response in 3 cats

Abstract

Anaplasmosis is a vector-borne disease caused by Anaplasma (A.) spp. which currently is still rarely diagnosed in cats. This article describes 3 independent cases of anaplasmosis in cats from different regions of Germany presented to veterinarians in 2021. All cats showed unspecific clinical signs, such as fever, reduced general condition, and decreased appetite. One cat additionally had generalized limb pain, another showed reluctance to move as well as vomiting. On complete blood cell count, only 1 of 3 cats showed mild thrombocytopenia. A. phagocytophilum was detected in blood samples of all 3 cats by polymerase chain reaction. Additionally, in 2 cats (in which blood smears were evaluated) morulae could be detected within neutrophilic granulocytes. Initially, all 3 cats had highly elevated serum amyloid A (SAA) concentrations. Treatment with doxycycline caused a rapid improvement of clinical signs, followed by a decrease of SAA concentrations to normal levels as well as negative PCR results after a treatment duration of at least 28 days. In cats with fever, otherwise unspecific clinical signs with only mild or no hematological changes, elevated SAA concentrations, and previous exposure to ticks, attending veterinarians should consider anaplasmosis as differential diagnosis.

Zusammenfassung

Bei der Anaplasmose handelt es sich um eine durch Anaplasma (A.) spp. verursachte, bei Katzen derzeit noch selten diagnostizierte, durch Zecken übertragene Infektionskrankheit. In diesem Artikel werden 3 Fälle von Anaplasmose bei Katzen beschrieben, die 2021 in Tierarztpraxen in verschiedenen Regionen Deutschlands vorgestellt wurden. Alle Katzen wurden mit unspezifischen Symptomen, wie Fieber, reduziertem Allgemeinbefinden und vermindertem Appetit, präsentiert. Eine Katze zeigte zusätzlich generalisierte Gliederschmerzen, eine andere Bewegungsunlust und Erbrechen. Im Blutbild wurde nur bei einer der 3 Katzen eine milde Thrombozytopenie diagnostiziert. Bei allen 3 Katzen wurde mittels Polymerase-Kettenreaktion A. phagocytophilum-DNA im Blut nachgewiesen. Außerdem wurden bei 2 Katzen, bei denen Blutausstriche untersucht wurden, Morulae in den neutrophilen Granulozyten gefunden. Bei allen 3 Katzen wurden deutlich erhöhte Konzentrationen des Serum-Amyloid-A (SAA) nachgewiesen. Eine Behandlung mit Doxycyclin (Gesamtdauer mindestens 28 Tage) führte zu einer schnellen Besserung des Allgemeinbefindens, Normalisierung der SAA-Werte und zu negativen PCR-Ergebnissen. Bei Katzen mit Fieber und sonst unspezifischen klinischen Symptomen mit milden oder fehlenden hämatologischen Veränderungen, sollte bei hohen SAA-Konzentrationen und vorberichtlichem Zeckenbefall eine Anaplasmose differentialdiagnostisch in Betracht gezogen werden.

Key words

Serum amyloid A - SAA - ticks - vector-borne disease

Schlüsselwörter

Serum-Amyloid-A - SAA - Zecken - vektorübertragene Krankheiten

Publikationsverlauf

Eingereicht: 24. Januar 2023

Angenommen: 23. Juni 2023

Artikel online veröffentlicht:
27. Februar 2024

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