feline Haemobartonelosis

It is a disease that affects to the cats caused by the infection of red globules (intraeritrocitaria) by rickettsia Haemobartonella felis (parasitic Gram (-), micoplasma).
This disease is well-known also like feline infectious anemia, the presence of haemobartonella in the surface of the eritrocitos produces a hemólisis (destruction of such).
A pandemic disease is considered (world-wide distribution), are no differences as far as races but it thinks that the males present/display it more than the females, by his style of more aggressive and street life.
The natural infection happens, probably, by fleas, garrapatas, hurt of cats (mordeduras fundamentally), sex and also vertical transmission (placenta and maternal milk).
Although the haemobartonelosis happens naturally, the severe pictures happen generally in cats with inmunosupresivas vírales diseases (FeLV+: positives to Feline Viral Leukemia)

Symptoms:
The period of the incubation is between 6 and 17 days.
The clinical symptoms in the acute phase are anemia, fever, ictericia (mucous yellows) and general weakness. The affected cats, generally, concur to the veterinary medicine by lethargy and anorexy of 1-2 days of duration. The physical examination, the pale mucous are seen and ictéricas, the temperature is normal (sometimes, depending on the stock), is taquipnea (increase of respiratory frequency) and to the palpación bazo is increased of size.
The carrying cats with chronic disease are clinically normal but in general they present/display slight regenerative anemia (Ettinger p 467)

Diagnosis:

* Complete Hemograma: Anemia is diagnosed because the values are below the normal thing and in extending of blood, previous tinción, can be observed the parasites on the eritrocitos (to see analysis).
* Count of reticulocitos: To evaluate if the marrow this compensating the destruction with an increase of red globules
* PCR (chain reaction of the polymerase): she is one proves at the same time specific and highly sensible

Treatment:

* Reduction of stress
* Transfusion of blood in very anemic cats.
* Antibiotics: Doxiciclina (of election), Tetraciclinas and Quinolonas
* Corticoids: Prednisolona (it reduces the hemólisis, it increases the appetite and to stimulate initially to the bony marrow).
* Parenteral support (depends on each case ej. Glucose EV in cats very depressed because they could have hipoglucemia).

Prognosis:
The prognosis depends fundamentally on the severity of the clinical picture in the initial presentation and of the presence of underlying vírales diseases (FeLV/VIF).
A great percentage of the cats recovers without treatment but they undergo recurrent episodes of anemia and they stay as chronic patients per months or years.

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