Determination of feline ab blood types in Bangkok and vicinities by the tube test

Abstract

The most important blood group system in cats is the AB system, which is identified by the presence and absence of antibodies and the antigen on the surface of red blood cells. Blood type A, B and AB are recognized in cats worldwide. The presence of strong alloantibodies against type A in all type B cats, and those with high titer against type B in some type A cats can cause significant transfusion reactions when cats are transfused with mismatched blood. Frequencies of blood types in a cat population is essential for estimating risks of transfusion reactions. The objectives of the study were to determine the frequencies of AB blood types in purebred and non-purebred domestic cats in Bangkok and vicinities, Thailand, and to assess the performances of the standard tube agglutination test. Whole blood samples were collected from 320 clinically healthy client-owned cats that lived in Bangkok and nearby provinces. Blood typing was performed by a standard tube agglutination method following the optimization of reagents in the assay, at the Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University. The alloantibody test was performed consecutively to determine whether cats were type B or type AB. The stability of reagents used in the assay was also evaluated. Overall, 229 non-purebred (domestic shorthair) cats and 91 purebred cats were enrolled in the study. Of the cats, the frequencies of type A and type B blood were 97.5% and 2.5%, respectively. No type AB cats were identified. All domestic shorthair cats had type A blood. Type B blood was found in 17.1% of Persian and 4.0% of Scottish Fold cats. The rest of purebred cats were type A. However, the sample size of each purebred was limited in this study. The reagents in the tube test were stabilized at 4°C for at least 21 days. This is a large survey of feline AB blood types in the Bangkok area. This study suggests that type A is most common in domestic shorthair cats, so they are at low risk of developing transfusion reaction due to mismatched blood transfusion. Type B was found in at least two purebred cats. Therefore, blood typing is necessary for blood transfusion purposes, particularly among purebred cats.