Figure 1

Feline haemoplasma infection can be detected by flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood cells obtained from cats. Representative flow cytometric profiles showing DRAQ5 uptake in five peripheral blood samples (1–5). Samples from domestic cats were first assessed by PCR for infection with Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum (A) or Mycoplasma haemofelis (C). Histogram 1 shows a lack of DRAQ5-positive cells in the blood of an uninfected (PCR-negative) cat, whereas histograms 2–5 show DRAQ5-uptake in blood cells in a number of infected (PCR-positive) cats. The grey bar indicates the region containing DRAQ5-positive cells. The numbers above the bar indicate the frequency of DRAQ5-positive cells out of total live gated peripheral blood cells. Box-and-whisker plots showing the range of DRAQ5-uptake of the amount of DRAQ5 present in blood samples from uninfected (PCR-negative) cats (n=5) or patients infected with either Candidatus M. haemominutum (B, n=8) or M. haemofelis (D, n=27), expressed as a logarithmic plot of the percentage of DRAQ5-positive cells. P values demonstrate significant differences between group means as by one-way ANOVA.