Passive immunization does not provide protection against experimental infection with Mycoplasma haemofelis

Sugiarto, Sarah; Spiri, Andrea M.; Riond, Barbara; Novacco, Marilisa; Oestmann, Angelina; de Miranda, Luisa H. Monteiro; Meli, Marina L.; Boretti, Felicitas S.; Hofmann-Lehmann, Regina; Willi, Barbara

Three cats in group A (cats JHW2, JHW4 and JHZ1) and two cats in group B (cats DHT1 and JHV1) developed elevated body temperature >39.5 °C during the course of the experiment: JHV1 at day 12 pi, JHW4 at day 23 pi, DHT1 at day 26 pi, JHW2 at day 28 pi and JHZ1 at day 48 pi. In addition, apathy, anorexia and weakness were observed in three cats in group A (JHW2 and JIC1 at day 28 pi; and JHX2 at day 36 pi) and in one cat in group B (DHT1 at day 26 pi). Three cats necessitated oral antibiotic treatment with doxycycline (10 mg/kg/day, Supracycline, Grünenthal GmbH, Mitlödi, Switzerland) for 14-16 days. The decision to treat the cats was based on the presence of severe anemia (group A: DHT1, PCV of 10%, day 26 pi) or a pronounced decrease in PCV within 24 h (JHW2, PCV of 21%, day 28 pi; JHX2, PCV of 15%, day 36 pi). All three cats showed clinical signs (apathy, anorexia, weakness and fever) when the treatment was initiated.