Detection of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in cats by flow cytometry

The study of the prevalence of feline immune-mediated hemolytic anemia and tested the applicability of flow cytometry for the detection of feline immunoglobulin-G (IgG) and immunoglobulin-M (IgM) on red blood cell using goat-anti-cat IgG and IgM compared with Coombs' test in ten healthy and nineteen anemic cats was performed. Of nineteen anemic cats, five cats had positive Coombs' test results for IMHA. Using flow cytometry, all five Coombs'test positive cats were significantly positive on both IgG and IgM. From seven of fourteen Coombs' test-negative cats flow cytometry showed increased IgG and IgM on the results which indicated IMHA. Thus, flow cytometric analysis is proved to be a sensitive technique which can help in detecting red blood cell-bound feline IgG and IgM. Flow cytometry provided a more sensitive and cost-effective method to quantitate erythrocyte-bound immunoglobulin than feline Coombs' test.