(ID14) Mycoplasma Species and Immunosuppressive Viruses in Cats Affected by Oral Cavity Lesions

Abstract: Oral cavity lesions in cats are relatively common and can influence their health and welfare. The main oral diseases observed in cats are periodontal disease, tooth resorption and chronic gingivostomatitis, and the later still have uncertain etiology.
The purpose of this study was to investigate primary and secondary main causes of cat´s oral lesions, evaluating the role of Mycoplasma species isolation and its association with retroviruses infection. Selected patients included cats referred for oral prophylaxis and periodontal treatment by veterinary dentists, in which clinical and laboratorial evaluation was performed, including blood work and POC snap test for detection of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) antibody and feline leukemia virus (FeLV) antigen. Oral tissue samples were biopsied for histopathology and Mycoplasma species PCR during dental procedure.
A total of 78 patients with oral lesions were included in this study, and the most prevalent findings were periodontal disease stage 3 to 4 in 57.7% of the cats, tooth resorption in 35.9% and chronic gingivostomatitis in 23%. Of all patients, 23 (29.5%) were positive for immunosuppressive viruses’ infection (FIV and/or FeLV). There were 36 (46.2%) positive results for Mycoplasma species PCR. The association between chronic gingivostomatitis diagnosis, FIV or FeLV infection and Mycoplasma species detection was statistically significant (P=0,003). This study identified that cats with oral cavity lesions, mainly with chronic gingivostomatitis, are commonly infected by retroviruses and Mycoplasma species. More studies should be performed to evaluate antimicrobial treatment against Mycoplasma species to control this disease in cats infected with FIV and FeLV.