Haemotrophic mycoplasma: review of aetiology and prevalence

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Haemoplasma, composed of Eperythrozoon and Haemobartonella, is a widespread agent infecting different vertebrate animals as well as humans. It is a small, pleomorphic bacterium that is an obligative parasite of erythrocytes in which it causes deformity and haemolysis. Clinical symptoms include anaemia, icterus, acidosis and fever. The prevalence of haemoplasma infection has been demonstrated in several countries. Some possible routes of transmission have been suggested, but all require further validation. Host-specific cross-transmission has been shown by sequence alignment analysis.