Bartonella virus cats

However they are also insensitive, as are standard blood tests. Ed Breitschwerdt, a professor of Veterinary Science at North Carolina State University who has studied bartonellosis extensively, notes that tests for the bacteria may be negative one time and positive another.

Fluoroquinolones and doxycycline are sometimes successful in treating bartonellosis. However, some doctors report the need to use several antibiotics in combination. CDC researchers report that they have identified six strains of Bartonella in patients with chronic subjective symptoms and a history of tick bites. Read article ». This research is very important to patients with Lyme disease because it confirms that the transmission of bartonella from ticks may produce Bartonelleosis.

Federal EIN Support LymeDisease. Ask your questions here. Home Member Login Join. Search LDo. The pathogenic role of many Bartonella spp. Bartonella hense lae is the causative agent of cat scratch disease CSD in humans, a self-limiting regional lymphadenopathy and cats are its main reservoir host.

The important role of fleas in the transmission of B. Antibodies are not protective and antibody-positive cats may be reinfected. Most cats naturally infected by B. Moreover, other Bartonella species, for which cats are accidental hosts, may have pathogenic properties.

Bartonellosis is diagnosed in symptomatic Bartonella positive cats on the basis of exclusion of other compatible diagnoses, and by assessing the response to antibiotic therapy. No benefit derives from testing healthy cats and humans, except in cases of immunosuppressed people in the home. Bartonella B. Until now, over 22 Bartonella species have been described, but their role as pathogens of humans and domestic animals is the subject of ongoing investigations Table 1.

Bartonella spp. Primary reservoir Vector Accidental host B. Unknown B. Humans B. Humans, dog B. The most common species in both cats and humans is B. Cats naturally infected with Bartonella usually do not show clinical signs. Given the long lasting association of B. Epidemiological evidence and experimental studies have demonstrated the important role of fleas in the transmission of B. Bartonella henselae is naturally transmitted among cats by the flea Ctenocephalides felis felis , or by flea faeces.

Using a quantitative real-time PCR, B. The possible role of several bat fly species Nycteribiidae as Bartonella vectors has been studied. It remains a subject of debate, but a reservoir function should be considered in addition to pathogenic, parasitic, or mutualistic interactions Morse et al. Persichetti et al. Similarly, Regier et al. Whether this observation implies a role for ticks in the transmission of both Bartonella spp.

Recently Mazurek et al. DNA in dogs from households where cats with clinical bartonellosis were kept. The results indicated that cats serve as a Bartonella reservoir for dogs, and the dogs can play the same role with regard to humans. Three other species, B. In addition, B vinsonii subsp.

In the infected cat, Bartonella inhabits red blood cells, which are ingested by the flea and survive in its gut. A cat scratch is the common mode of transmission of the organism to other animals, including humans Chomel et al.

Bartonella henselae was experimentally transmitted among cats by transferring fleas fed on naturally infected cats to SPF cats, and by intradermal inoculation of excrement collected from fleas fed on B.

This has demonstrated that both the vector and the cat - through scratches - may transmit the organism. Infection is amplified in the flea hindgut, and B. Blood transfusion also represents a risk: cats have been experimentally infected with B. Bartonella henselae transmission did not occur when infected cats lived together with uninfected cats in a flea-free environment. Transmission consequently does not occur through bites, scratches in the absence of fleas, grooming, or sharing of litter boxes and food dishes.

Furthermore, transmission could not be demonstrated between bacteraemic female cats and uninfected males during mating, or to the kittens of infected females either during gestation or in the neonatal period, again in flea-free environments Guptill et al. Ticks may also act as vectors for transmission among cats, human beings, dogs, and other mammalian hosts: transstadial transmission of B.

Chronic bacteraemia mainly occurs in cats under the age of 2 years Guptill et al. Young experimentally infected cats maintained relapsing B. Immune system avoidance due to its intracellular location, frequent genetic rearrangements and alteration of outer membrane proteins are considered important for the maintenance of persistent bacteraemia.

The location within erythrocytes and vascular endothelial cells is believed to protect Bartonellae from antimicrobial agents. Cats can be re-infected by different strains of Bartonella Guptill, Cats naturally infected with Bartonella spp. Both experimental and natural infection studies have tried to establish an association between clinical signs and infection, but a link has not been unequivocally proven.

Treatment with doxycycline for 1 week was effective in suppressing bacteremia in all cats but was effective in clearing infection from only four cats. Amoxicillin, given subsequently, was effective in clearing the infection from three of the remaining cats. Feline bartonella is a flea- and tick-borne illness that cats can pick up from grooming or staying at a shelter or boarder.

Cats often show no symptoms in the early stages of the illness, so it's important to ask your veterinarian for a test. If your cat is strictly an indoor cat, her chances of developing bartonella or "cat scratch fever" as it is often nicknamed are low, but you should still be aware of the risks. Is cat scratch fever real? Yes, but it's only a nickname for one variety of bartonella, a condition caused by a bacterium found in flea and tick feces. Up to 20 percent of cats with no risk factors still have the disease, according to the National Veterinary Laboratory.

If you live in a hot, humid climate, your pet is more at risk. Cats contract bartonella primarily when flea feces are present on their fur or skin and they lick up the debris and bacteria while grooming. The bacteria can also be transmitted through ticks. It's easy to bring these tiny bloodsuckers into your house if you live near a wooded area or have a dog that loves barging through bushes and tall grass.

If humans or other animals unknowingly bring ticks in the house, even an indoor cat could be at risk for bartonella. Pet parents should be checking their pets for signs of fleas, flea bites, and ticks on a regular basis. Even with constant checks, you may not find tiny fleas, so also watch for excessive scratching or red marks. Since many cats that get this disease will show no symptoms for weeks or even months, it's important to ask your vet for a blood test to find out if your pet needs to be treated if you find fleas or ticks in your home.

If your cat has recently been boarded or outside the home, it may be a good idea to have your vet perform the blood test as a precaution, even if your cat seems perfectly healthy. Many vets recommend the blood test as part of adopting a stray or a new kitty from a shelter. Cats can carry the bacteria in their systems for months without any symptoms, so if your pet starts to show signs of swollen glands, lethargy, or sore muscles, you definitely want to get her to the vet.

Most cats are treated with a round of antibiotics, go back for a follow-up test a few months later, and exhibit no further problems. Fortunately, bartonella is not a deadly disease, but it is still one that pet parents should be aware of and know how to prevent. The name of feline bartonella may lead you to believe that only cats can get it, but the rest of the family is also vulnerable.

Unfortunately, bartonella is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from cats to humans by scratching, biting or petting. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that immunocompromised people, such as young children or the elderly, avoid playing with young cats, because these humans are more likely to contract the disease. However, all cats can carry feline bartonella, so if someone who lives in your home has a sensitive immune system, they should be cautious around possibly infected cats.

Dogs don't groom themselves like cats do and are at less of a risk, but they can still contract this illness from their furry sibling or pick up diseased ticks independently.