Each year in the United States, 500 patients are hospitalized for cat-scratch disease, caused by Bartonella henselae infection. We report a case of rare but serious neurologic B. henselae infection. When typical features of cat-scratch disease occur with neurologic findings, Bartonella infection should be suspected and diagnostic testing should be performed.

Recent reports in the medical literature emphasize the risk of zoonotic disease and the high degree of prevalence of asymptomatic feline infection with Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae. While investigating Bartonella bacteremia in cats, we used transmission electron microscopy to demonstrate B. henselae in the erythrocytes of persistently bacteremic cats.

Bartonella henselae is a gram-negative pathogen that causes angiogenesis. Here, I establish in vitro models to study Bartonella-induced blood vessel formation. I found that B. henselae induces long-term endothelial survival and tubular differentiation within type I collagen matrix.

Systemic clinical presentations of infection caused by Bartonella henselae are rare in immunocompetent adults. We report four cases with hepatic and/or splenic involvement, presenting as fever of unknown origin. We discuss diagnosis and treatment of this infection. Bartonella henselae serology allows an easy diagnosis of hepatosplenic involvement in cat scratch disease, a clinical picture that ...

Bacteria of the genus Bartonella are emerging pathogens detected in lymph node biopsies and aspirates probably caused by increased concentration of bacteria. Twenty-three samples of 18 patients with clinical, laboratory and/or epidemiological data suggesting bartonellosis were subjected to three nested amplifications targeting a fragment of the 60-kDa heat shock protein (HSP), the internal tran...

Among the many mammals infected with Bartonella spp., pets represent a large reservoir for human infection because most Bartonella spp. infecting them are zoonotic. Cats are the main reservoir for Bartonella henselae, B. clarridgeiae, and B. koehlerae. Dogs can be infected with B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae, B. washoensis, B. elizabethae, and B. quintana. The role ...

The potential role of ticks as vectors of Bartonella species has recently been suggested. In this study, we investigated the presence of Bartonella species in 271 ticks removed from humans in Belluno Province, Italy. By using primers derived from the 60-kDa heat shock protein gene sequences, Bartonella DNA was amplified and sequenced from four Ixodes ricinus ticks (1.48%). To confirm this findi...

Bartonella henselae or Bartonella elizabethae DNA from EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples obtained from four dogs was amplified and sequenced. The results showed that B. elizabethae should be added to the list of Bartonella species (i.e., B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, B. henselae, and B. clarridgeiae) that are currently recognized as infectious agents in dogs. Furthermore, these results may hav...

Certain Bartonella species are known to cause afebrile bacteremia in humans and other mammals, including B. quintana, the agent of trench fever, and B. henselae, the agent of cat scratch disease. Reports have indicated that animal-associated Bartonella species may cause paucisymptomatic bacteremia and endocarditis in humans. We identified potentially zoonotic strains from 6 Bartonella species i...

Bartonella spp. can cause persistent bloodstream infections in humans and animals. To determine whether Bartonella henselae is present in questing Ixodes ricinus ticks, we analyzed the prevalence of B. henselae DNA among tick stages compared to the prevalence of DNA from Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the pathogen most frequently transmitted by ticks. B. henselae DNA was present with a preval...