Highlights & Basics
- Bartonella infection causes severe clinical syndromes in humans. The three most important pathogens responsible for the majority of infections are B henselae, B quintana, and B bacilliformis.
- Some species are worldwide in distribution (B henselae), whereas others are geographically localized (B bacilliformis).
- Bartonella species are transmitted from an infected natural host to the susceptible human host either by direct contact (cat bite or scratch for B henselae) or via an insect vector (body lice for B quintana, sand fly for B bacilliformis).
- Bartonella species infect erythrocytes and cause vascular proliferation, giving rise to prolonged fever, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly.
- Laboratory diagnosis is established by culture, serology, or histopathology. Molecular techniques such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) are useful for blood and tissue specimens, including heart valves, where available.
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Citations
Rolain JM, Brouqui P, Koehler JE, et al. Recommendations for treatment of human infections caused by Bartonella species. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2004 Jun;48(6):1921-33.[Abstract][Full Text]
Panel on Opportunistic Infections in Adults and Adolescents with HIV. Bartonellosis. Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of opportunistic infections in adults and adolescents with HIV: recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health, and the HIV Medicine Association of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Nov 2023 [internet publication].[Full Text]
Prutsky G, Domecq JP, Mori L, et al. Treatment outcomes of human bartonellosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Infect Dis. 2013 Oct;17(10):e811-9. [Abstract][Full Text]
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