Figure 3

Feline haemoplasma can be identified according to DRAQ5-uptake and flow cytometric detection. The two major feline haemoplasmas Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum and Mycoplasma haemofelis can be identified according to the fluorescence intensity of DRAQ5-uptake by infected erythrocytes. The foremost histogram is representative of DRAQ5-uptake in an uninfected animal. In a screening examination of clinically healthy cats, low levels of DRAQ5-uptake are detected showing the presence of few infected cells (A, B, histogram 1). Mean fluorescence intensity is lower in the cat infected with the smaller haemoplasma (M. haemominutum, histogram 2, peak indicated by *) compared to the cat infected with the larger M. haemofelis (histogram 3, peaks indicated by **). The difference in DRAQ5-uptake is more clearly seen in animals with higher level of parasitaemia (B) (Candidatus M. haemominutum, histogram 2, peak indicated by *; M. haemofelis (histogram 3, peaks indicated by **). (C) The mean fluorescent intensity from Candidatus M. haemominutum-infected erythrocytes (n=10) is clearly lower than that of erythrocytes from animals that have been tested by PCR to be infected by M. haemofelis (n=6). ANOVA was performed to demonstrate the significant difference in mean fluorescence intensities between animals infected with Candidatus M. haemominutum or M. haemofelis.