Hemotransmissive infections in blood donor cats

Abstract

The paper provides information about studies conducted on 490 cats, aged from 1 to 8 years, in females and males belonging to different breeds. All animals tested for infection passed the stage of clinical examination and had no contraindications to donation, and accordingly had no visible clinical signs of hemotransmissive infections (GTI). A detailed clinical examination of the patient and competent collection of anamnesis allows you to minimize the risks of detecting GTI in an animal. GTI diagnostics was performed by PCR on Bio-Rad CFX Connect Real-Time PCR Detection System and BioRad CFX 96 Real-Time PCR Detection System, ELISA – on Thermo Scientific Multiskan FC Microplate Photometer. According to the results of the study, feline immunodeficiency virus (VIC) was detected in 11 cats (2.2%), feline leukemia virus (VLC) in 5 cats (1%), hemoplasmosis (Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum) in 7 cats (1.4%), Bartonella henselae in 5 cats (1%). Despite the low percentage of animals in which GTI was detected, it is worth noting the need for blood banks for animals in which all potential donors undergo mandatory diagnostics. Many of the animals that turned out to be carriers of GTI had previously donated blood privately, thereby not helping recipients, but transmitting diseases to them, often incurable. Animals in contact with GTI carriers should be monitored regularly and in more depth at the GTI. Even a positive patient history and the absence of clinical signs in the animal require additional monitoring in the form of blood tests, which is very rarely carried out privately when owners donate animals as donors outside of blood banks. This fact contributes to the spread of GTI during hemotransfusion.