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Bartonellosis is a group of infectious diseases caused by bacteria of the genus Bartonella. They are transmitted to humans by insects - mosquitoes, fleas and ticks - as well as by animals such as cats and dogs. What are the symptoms of bartonellosis? How is the diagnosis done? What is the treatment?

Bartonellosisis an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genusBartonella . Currently, there are 24 known species of bacteria that belong to the genus Bartonella, and nearly half of them are pathogenic to humans.

Bartonellosis - pathways of infection

Bartonellosis is a disease that affects people who come into contact with domestic and wild animals that are reservoirs of this pathogen.

The most common bartonellosis is cat scratch disease.

The transmitters of these microorganisms are blood-sucking arthropods (including ticks, fleas, mosquitoes and clothing lice). Infection can also occur directly through scratching or biting by an infected animal.

After entering the body, the bacteria multiply and stay in red blood cells (erythrocytes). After entering the host's organism, the bacteria are spread and circulate in its bloodstream for about 3-4 days, and then they occupy the endothelial cells of the blood vessels. After a few days, they get to the erythrocytes, where they multiply.

People with reduced immunity (HIV-infected, transplant patients, cancer patients, people treated with immunosuppressants, etc.) are particularly susceptible to infections. However, infections also occur in perfectly he althy people.

Bartonellosis - symptoms

The symptoms of Bartonellosis depend on the specific type of Bartonella bacteria:

  • cat scratch disease - caused by the bacteriumBartonella clarridgeiae , which is transmitted by cat fleas. The disease can also develop as a result of being bitten or scratched by an infected cat. A lump appears at the site of a cat scratch or bite after 3-10 days, which after some time turns into a serous vesicle, and then a scab. After about 1-3 weeks, the surrounding lymph nodes are enlarged unilaterally
  • Carrion's disease - caused by the bacteriumBartonella bacilliformis , has two phases:

-the first, called Oroya fever, has high fever and hemolytic anemia. Bacteria are detected in almost all erythrocytes, 80% of which are haemolysis. Accompanying symptoms are enlargement of the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. Mortality in the absence of treatment reaches 40 percent. infected

- in the chronic phase, called Peruvian papillomatosis, hard, vascular nodules appear on the infected skin (mainly around the head, neck and extremities). Usually the disease heals itself and is not fatal

  • trench fever (Volyn fever, five-day fever) - caused by the bacteriumBartonella quintana , which is transmitted by cat fleas, ticks and lice. It is characterized by a recurrent fever. The disease is manifested by a fever lasting 1-3 days, accompanied by headaches, dizziness and soreness of the shin - this is the part of the lower limb between the knee and the foot. Symptoms recur every 4-6 days, and their intensity decreases with the duration of the disease. Currently, the disease occurs mainly among the homeless and alcoholics in large urban agglomerations and people staying in refugee camps and shelters for the homeless, where it is associated with non-compliance with hygiene rules
  • bacterial angioma - it was first described in AIDS patients, but it can also occur in transplant patients and immunocompromised people. The most common form of angioma caused by bacteria of the Bartonella genus is cutaneous, caused by the layered proliferation of endothelial cells of blood vessels

In addition, bacteria from the Bartonella group can lead to:

  • endocarditis
  • myocarditis
  • meningitis
  • hepatic purpura
  • inflammation of the retina and optic nerve (ocular bartonellosis) - in patients who are in close contact with a cat, who have progressive fever and loss of visual acuity, suspect ocular bartonellosis

Bartonellosis - diagnosis

The following techniques can be distinguished among serological methods: immunofluorescence (IFA), enzyme immunoassay (ELISA) and Western blot. Commercial tests, however, are mainly prepared with the B. henselae and B. quintana antigens, and there are no tests to determine the presence of antibodies for other species belonging to the genus Bartonella.

Molecular biology methods using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique can detect pathogen DNA in blood, tissues (samples from lymph nodes, heart, skin, liver) and even frompreparations in formalin and paraffin.

Bartonellosis - treatment

Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by Bartonella bacteria - tetracyclines (doxycycline, tertracycline), fluoroquinolones (levofloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin) and rifampicin.

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Category:

Parasitic diseases