The molecular detection of hemotropic Mycoplasma species in dogs

Hemotropic mycoplasmas are uncultured bacteria that cause different degrees of hemolytic anemia in infected hosts. Molecular approaches are used to diagnose hemotropic mycoplasmas since they are difficult to identify using conventional methods. The aim of this study was to use molecular approaches to determine hemotropic mycoplasmas in dogs. Blood samples were collected in tubes (with EDTA) from 100 dogs. After DNA extraction, 100 DNA samples were investigated by PCR. Hemotropic mycoplasma was detected in 12 (12%) samples and positive samples were subjected to Sanger sequencing. Mycoplasma haemocanis was detected in 6 (50.0%) of the samples, Candidatus Mycoplasma hematoparvum in 5 (41.6%), and Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum in 1 (8.4%) of the samples after typing 12 PCR positive amplicons using Sanger sequencing. Anemia was found in 5 (83.3%) Mycoplasma haemocanis positive dogs while 3 (60.0%) were Candidatus Mycoplasma haematoparvum positive dogs. As a consequence of this research, hemotropic mycoplasmas were determined in dogs using molecular methods.