Epidemiology of hemoplasma infections in domestic cats (Felis catus): A global systematic review with meta-analysis

Hemoplasmas of the genus Mycoplasma are hemotropic bacteria that parasitize red blood cells and can cause hemolytic anemia in several mammalian species, including domestic cats (Felis catus). Given their importance, the aim of this study was to globally characterize hemoplasma infections in domestic cats (Felis catus) through a systematic review with meta-analysis. Five databases were used to obtain observational studies (ScienceDirect, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and SciELO) published worldwide up to December 2025. The global prevalence was estimated through a meta-analysis using a random-effects model in the R software with the meta package. A total of 128 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. The results demonstrated a global prevalence of hemoplasmas of 19.8% (95% CI: 17.1-22.6), with high heterogeneity among studies. Among the identified species, 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' (CMhm) was the most prevalent, followed by Mycoplasma haemofelis (Mhf) and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis' (CMt). Coinfections between species were frequently reported. Among the risk factors most commonly associated with infection were male sex, adulthood, FIV infection, outdoor access, and FeLV. hemoplasma infections show a wide global distribution in domestic cats, with CMhm as the predominant species. These findings reinforce the importance of epidemiological surveillance and the use of molecular methods for the diagnosis of feline hemoplasmosis.