@article{fc4987e5ef144d939e18903d7f665fbf,
title = "Evaluating the association between blood genotype or phenotype and haemoplasma infection in UK and Italian cats",
abstract = "Background: In humans, blood groups are associated with varying prevalence of infections. The aim of this study was to determine if associations exist between the feline AB blood group system and haemoplasma infection.Methods: Data from two studies were combined. In the first study, DNA samples from 131 haemoplasma-infected and 132 haemoplasma-uninfected UK cats underwent pyrosequencing to determine their blood genotype as AA, Ab or bb. In the second study, blood samples from 160 Italian cats of known blood phenotype A, B or AB underwent PCR testing for feline haemoplasma species DNA. Results: Haemoplasma infection was demonstrated in cats of all phenotypes and genotypes. A significantly higher number of Ab genotype cats tested positive for overall haemoplasma infection status (p = 0.04) and for Mycoplasma haemofelis infection (p = 0.03). Limitations: Haemoplasma-infected Italian cats were few, possibly increasing the chance of type II error, and the presence of purebred cats in the sample population may have had a confounding effect. Conclusions: Feline haemoplasmas do not appear to preferentially use either blood type A or B antigens as attachment sites for erythrocyte colonisation. Further investigations in a larger number of haemoplasma-infected cats of known blood phenotype are warranted to explain the association between genotype Ab and haemoplasma infection.",
keywords = "AB group system, blood type, feline, haemotropic mycoplasma, infections",
author = "Eva Spada and Paola Galluzzo and Alessandra Torina and Loria, {Guido R.} and Roberta Perego and Francesca Grippi and Valeria Blanda and Luciana Baggiani and Alessia D'Amico and Pennisi, {Maria G.} and Helps, {Chris R.} and Richard Malik and Mark Westman and Barbara Gandolfi and Sarah Spencer and Daniela Proverbio and S{\'e}verine Tasker",
note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Vito Priolo and Cyndi Mangano for their help in obtaining the feline samples at University of Messina. Part of this study was already presented as an oral presentation and published as abstract as follows: Spencer S, Helps C, Malik R, Gandolfi B, Tasker S. Lack of an association between blood genotype and haemoplasma infection in UK cats. In: Proceedings of BSAVA Congress, Birmingham, UK. 2016. Open access funding was provided by Universit{\`a} degli Studi di Milano within the CRUI‐CARE agreement. The authors would also like to thank Dave Morris of the Molecular Diagnostic Unit at Langford Vets and Chelsea Hicks (previously of Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol and Langford Vets) for provision of Clinical Research Grant Funding used to perform study 1 in UK cats. Study 2 of this research was supported, in part, by Piano di Sostegno alla Ricerca 2020, Linea 2, University of Milan, Italy. Funding Information: The authors would like to thank Vito Priolo and Cyndi Mangano for their help in obtaining the feline samples at University of Messina. Part of this study was already presented as an oral presentation and published as abstract as follows: Spencer S, Helps C, Malik R, Gandolfi B, Tasker S. Lack of an association between blood genotype and haemoplasma infection in UK cats. In: Proceedings of BSAVA Congress, Birmingham, UK. 2016. Open access funding was provided by Universit{\`a} degli Studi di Milano within the CRUI-CARE agreement. The authors would also like to thank Dave Morris of the Molecular Diagnostic Unit at Langford Vets and Chelsea Hicks (previously of Bristol Veterinary School, University of Bristol and Langford Vets) for provision of Clinical Research Grant Funding used to perform study 1 in UK cats. Study 2 of this research was supported, in part, by Piano di Sostegno alla Ricerca 2020, Linea 2, University of Milan, Italy. Open Access Funding provided by Universita degli Studi di Milano within the CRUI-CARE Agreement. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 The Authors. Veterinary Record published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Veterinary Association.",
year = "2023",
month = jun,
day = "17",
doi = "10.1002/vetr.2282",
language = "English",
volume = "192",
journal = "Veterinary Record",
issn = "0042-4900",
publisher = "British Veterinary Association",
number = "12",
}