Healthy cats can carry five members of the Bartonella bacteria family in their blood: Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae, Bartonella koehlerae, Bartonella elizebethae, and Bartonella weissii, which are transmitted between cats by fleas and ticks.
The bacteria can be spread to people via cat scratches and bites, contact with fur, and probably rarely by infected fleas and ticks. Although most infected people do not become ill, Bartonella, transmitted from cats, can cause 22 human diseases.
Bartonella are difficult to culture from the blood of infected cats. However, now there is a simple and accurate blood test, the FeBart � Test developed by The National Veterinary Laboratory, to determine if cats are infected with these bacteria.
Most infected cats remain infected for years and possibly for life. Although most cats are not infected, 28 % of healthy cats in the southeast are infected carriers.
There is an increase incidence in stray cats and cats from adoption shelters or rescue organizations and multi-cat households are at higher risk of Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Feline Aids (FIV) and Bartonella.
If your cat is found to be carrying these bacteria, we can prescribe antibiotics to eliminate the infection.
1.) Diseases caused by Bartonella in cats:
Cat Bartonella possess pili, which are hair-like structures found on the bacteria's surface. The pili cause Bartonella to stick to, and penetrate, red blood cells that make up the walls of capillaries.
The ability to adhere to the cells of capillary walls leads to the wide and varied tissue specificity observed in cats, dogs, and people. Bartonella induce inflammatory reactions in many tissues throughout the infected animal's body.
These tissues are: oral and respiratory mucosa, ocular tissues, the gastro-intestinal tissues, the skin, and organs such as the liver, spleen and lymph nodes.
In fact, since capillaries are found in all tissues, all tissues are susceptible to the inflammatory effects of Bartonella.
Inflammatory reactions often occur concurrently in multiple sites such as oral and respiratory tissues, ocular and oral tissues, or in other combinations. Although numerous microorganisms can cause inflammatory diseases, it appears that Bartonella is the cause of about 50% of the following conditions in pet cats:
Cat Bartonella diseases:
� Oral Diseases:
▪ Gingivitis
▪ Stomatitis
▪ Oral Ulcers
� Respiratory Diseases:
▪ Upper respiratory disease
▪ Rhinitis
▪ Sinusitis
� Ocular Diseases:
▪ Conjunctivitis
▪ Uveitis
▪ Chorioretinitis
▪ Blepharitis
▪ Keratitis
� Intestinal Diseases:
▪ Inflammatory bowel disease
▪ Diarrhea (chronic)
▪ Vomiting (chronic)
� Other Diseases:
▪ Enlarged lymph nodes
▪ Fever of unknown origin
▪ Liver disease-hepatitis
▪ Skin diseases-papules & dermatitis
▪ Heart disease- Valvular disease (murmurs)
2.) Recommendations:
A) Test all cats that were/are strays or were adopted from a shelter or rescue organization.
B) Institute rigorous flea control.
C) Test all cats in multi-cat households when a cat is found to be infected with Bartonella.
D) Treat only infected cats.
E) Test all cats with oral diseases for Bartonella, FeLV, and FIV.
3.) Human diseases caused by Bartonella:
Previously Described Human Diseases:
� Cat Scratch Disease- (see more information below)
� Bacillary angiomatosis & peliosis
� Febrile bacteremia
� Lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement)
� Endocarditis & Vegetative valvular disease
� Uveitis
� Neurological disorders
� Anemia
� Neuroretinitis-chorioretinitis
� Osteomyelitis
Newly Described Human Disease:
� Inflammatory bowel disease
� Mononucleosis-like syndrom
� Co-infection with Lyme disease
� Pulmonary infiltrates
� Meningoencephalitis
� Arthralgia & Myositis
� Juvenile arthritis
� Cutancous rash-Henoch-Schenlein purpura
� Cutancous granuloma annulare
� Disciform keratitis
Cat scratch disease develops in people a few weeks after transmission of Bartonella from cats. More than 22,000 cases occur each year, of which more than 2,000 people require hospitalization.
Lymph nodes that drain the injury site become inflamed, enlarged, painful, and may develop an abscess, which may burst and drain. Severe cases may rarely progress to internal organ involvement, neurological complications, and coma.
Antibiotics can shorten the clinical course, which usually lasts 6 to 8 weeks, if untreated. One episode appears to confer lifelong immunity in people. Although rare, there are reports of people becoming infected again.
4.) Therapy for Bartonella:
A) Approximately 80% of healthy Bartonella infected cats clear their infection with 10 days of a Zythromycin therapy. (If cost is not a factor, healthy cats should be treated for 21 days.)
B) Sick cats require 21 days of therapy to remove the bacteria from their body.
5.) Therapy evaluation:
A) Six months after treatment a therapy titration test is performed. A 2-4 fold decrease in the antibody titer indicates successful treatment.
6.) On going flea and tick control is a must because re-infection is possible if there is flea infestation again. The immunity does not protect the cat from re-infection.
Information obtained from National Veterinary Laboratory, Franklin Lakes, NJ
[ 10. January 2008, 11:50 AM: Message edited by: merrygirl ]
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
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posted
I agree. I find it interesting too. Problem is.. I can remember a time way back when I found many other things interesting.
To the Editor: The genus Bartonella contains several recently described species, many of which are emerging human pathogens.
Human infections are mostly due to Bartonella henselae and B. quintana. Like many vectorborne disease agents, Bartonella species have a natural cycle.
This cycle contains a reservoir host, in which Bartonella species cause an intraerythrocytic bacteremia, and a vector, which transmits the bacteria from the reservoir host to a new susceptible host (usually the uninfected reservoir host) (1).
In the case of B. quintana and B. bacilliformis, the natural host is human. In Bartonella diseases, humans act as accidental hosts.
Among the nonhuman Bartonella species that infect humans, B. henselae is most commonly encountered and usually causes cat-scratch disease.
However, several cases of infections in humans attributable to other Bartonella species, including B. elizabethae, B. grahamii, B. vinsonii arupensis, B. vinsonii berkhoffii, and possibly B. clarridgeiae, have been reported (1).
Isolation of Bartonella species in animals that have contact with humans can help identify new human pathogens or new diseases.
We report results of isolation of Bartonella spp. from the blood of 258 dogs in Gabon. The study was performed in the Ogoou�-Ivindo province of Gabon, a country of Central Africa with an equatorial climate.
Blood samples were taken from dogs in the town of M�kambo and in all villages connecting M�kambo and Mazingo (nine villages) and M�kambo and Ekata (seven villages) during July and August 2003.
Each dog brought by its owner for the study was weighed and sedated by injection with 50 μg/kg of medetomidine (Pfizer Sant� Animal, Orsay, France).
After the dog was examined, a blood sample was drawn from the jugular vein by Vacutainer (Becton Dickinson, Meylan, France). Each dog was tattooed with an identification number and given both antihelminthic and external antiparasitic treatments.
During the examination, the dogs were treated with care; upon completion of the examination, the dogs were given 250 μg/kg of the reversal agent atipamezola (Pfizer Sant� Animal) intramuscularly.
A physical examination form and a questionnaire were completed for each test participant by its owner. A total of 258 dogs (155 males and 103 females) were examined and had blood samples drawn during the study.
All animals were of mixed breeds and were 6 months to 14 years old (average 3 years 1 month). The Vacutainer tubes were kept on ice until blood samples were dispensed into cryotubes and frozen in liquid nitrogen.
Samples were stored at -80�C until isolation attempts were made on Columbia agar (Biom�rieux, Marcy l'�toile, France) as described previously (2).
In this study, six Bartonella isolates were obtained and identified as B. clarridgeiae (five isolates) and B. henselae (one isolate), by
internal transcribed spacer amplification and sequencing (3). B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii was the first Bartonella species found in dogs (1). Isolation of B. clarridgeiae (4,5) and B. washoensis (6) in dogs was recently reported.
Infection of dogs by other Bartonella species was also detected in the DNA of B. henselae (7,8), B. clarridgeiae (7), and B. elizabethae (8). The presence of these Bartonella species is not surprising, since Ctenocephalides felis, the vector of B. henselae in cats, has a wide range of hosts, including the domestic dog.
However, attempts to isolate this species in samples collected from 211 dogs in the United Kingdom failed (9). Bartonella species are supposedly difficult to isolate in dogs because of a low concentration of bacteria in the blood (1).
This supposition was apparent in our study; we identified approximately 100 bacterial colonies per milliliter of blood from three of the six dogs in our study.
From the other three dogs in our study, including the dog infected with B. henselae, we identified two to four bacterial colonies per milliliter of blood.
Most of the data pertaining to Bartonella have been obtained in the United States and Europe. Increasingly, Bartonella infections are being reported in Africa, especially in southern Africa (10).
We report here the first isolation of B. henselae from a dog and the first isolation of B. clarridgeiae in Central Africa.
That dogs also act as reservoirs of B. henselae likely has implications in Africa where HIV infections are prevalent.
Vijay A.K.B. Gundi,* Olivier Bourry,� Bernard Davoust,� Didier Raoult,* and Bernard La Scola* *Facult� de M�decine, Marseille, France; �Centre International de Recherches M�dicales, Franceville, Gabon; and �Direction R�gionale du Service de Sant� des Arm�es, Lyon, France
References 1. Breitschwerdt EB, Kordick DL. Bartonella infection in animals: carriership, reservoir potential, pathogenicity, and zoonotic potential for human infection. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2000;13:428-38.
2. La Scola B, Davoust B, Boni M, Raoult D. Lack of correlation between Bartonella DNA detection within fleas, serological results, and results of blood culture in a Bartonella-infected stray cat population. Clin Microbiol Infect. 2002;8:345-51.
3. Houpikian P, Raoult D. 16S/23S rRNA intergenic spacer regions for phylogenetic analysis identification and subtyping of Bartonella species. J Clin Microbiol. 2001;39:2768-78.
4. Chomel BB, Mac Donald KA, Kasten RW, Chang CC, Wey AC, Foley JE, et al. Aortic valve endocarditis in a dog due to Bartonella clarridgeiae. J Clin Microbiol. 2001;39:3548-54.
5. Mac Donald KA, Chomel BB, Kittleson MD, Kasten RW, Thomas WP, Pesavento P. A prospective study of canine infective endocarditis in northern California (1999- 2001): emergence of Bartonella as a prevalent etiologic agent. J Vet Intern Med. 2002;18:56-64.
6. Chomel BB, Wey AC, Kasten RW. Isolation of Bartonella washoensis from a dog with mitral valve endocarditis. J Clin Microbiol. 2003;41:5327-32.
7. Gillespie TN, Washabau RJ, Goldschmidt MH, Cullen JM, Rogala AR, Breitschwerdt EB. Detection of Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae DNA in specimens from two dogs with hepatic disease. J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2003;222:47-51.
8. Mexas AM, Hancock SI, Breitschwerdt EB. Bartonella henselae and Bartonella elizabethae as potential canine pathogens. J Clin Microbiol. 2002;40:4670-4.
9. Birtles RJ, Laycock G, Kenny MJ, Shaw SE, Day MJ. Prevalence of Bartonella species causing bacteremia in domesticated companion animals in the United Kingdom. Vet Rec. 2002;151:225-9.
10. Pretorius AM, Kelly PJ. An update on human bartonelloses. Cent Afr J Med. 2000;46:194-200.
Address for correspondence: Bernard La Scola, Unit� des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Facult� de M�decine, 27 Blvd Jean Moulin, 13385 Marseille Cedex 05, France; fax: 33-91- 83-03-90; email: bernard.lascola@medecine.
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just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129
posted
Merry, Good work and great info,,,
My question being a vet tech,,,probably NEVER came close to these,,but asking anyway.
Do hogs and cows have bart to?? Can it be transferred to humans by such dumb things(As I observe and learn NOW) as bare hand birthing with cuts scrapes and open sores on hands??
Sorry to be so crude and rude,,but unable to describe in less gross words!! wondering--just don--
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merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
Hey Don.
I honestly have only worked with small animals and exotics, but here is some info I found.
I believe you can get Q Fever from what you described ...
Very recently, Bartonella organisms have been isolated from large ruminants (deer, elk, and dairy and beef cattle) located in the United States and in France.
In this study, we report the serologic, microbiologic, and molecular findings related to the isolation of a Bartonella species in North Carolina beef cattle and the detection of nanobacterial antigen using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Between August 1998 and September 1999, blood was collected from 38 cattle ranging in age from 1 month to 6.5 years. After a 1-month incubation period, a Bartonella sp. was isolated on a 5% rabbit blood agar plate from three of six EDTA blood samples.
PCR amplification of the 16S rRNA gene from all three isolates resulted in a DNA sequence that was 100% identical to that of B. weissii 16S rRNA (GenBank no. AF199502). By IFA testing, 36 of 38 cattle had antibodies (1:64) to Bartonella weissii (bovine origin) antigens.
Nanobacterial antigen was detected in 22 of 22 serum samples. We conclude that infection with an organism similar or closely related to B. weissii can occur in North Carolina cattle and that although their actual existence is still controversial Nanobacterium antigens were detected with a commercially available test kit.
The epidemiology, vector biology, and potential pathogenicity of these organisms in cattle deserve future consideration
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merrygirl
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Q fever is a zoonosis with a worldwide distribution with the exception of New Zealand. The disease is caused by Coxiella burnetii, a strictly intracellular, gram-negative bacterium.
Many species of mammals, birds, and ticks are reservoirs of C. burnetii in nature. C. burnetii infection is most often latent in animals, with persistent shedding of bacteria into the environment.
However, in females intermittent high-level shedding occurs at the time of parturition, with millions of bacteria being released per gram of placenta.
Humans are usually infected by contaminated aerosols from domestic animals, particularly after contact with parturient females and their birth products.
Although often asymptomatic, Q fever may manifest in humans as an acute disease (mainly as a self-limited febrile illness, pneumonia, or hepatitis) or as a chronic disease (mainly endocarditis), especially in patients with previous valvulopathy and to a lesser extent in immunocompromised hosts and in pregnant women.
Specific diagnosis of Q fever remains based upon serology. Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antiphase II antibodies are detected 2 to 3 weeks after infection with C. burnetii, whereas the presence of IgG antiphase I C. burnetii antibodies at titers of ≥1:800 by microimmunofluorescence is indicative of chronic Q fever.
The tetracyclines are still considered the mainstay of antibiotic therapy of acute Q fever, whereas antibiotic combinations administered over prolonged periods are necessary to prevent relapses in Q fever endocarditis patients.
Although the protective role of Q fever vaccination with whole-cell extracts has been established, the population which should be primarily vaccinated remains to be clearly identified.
Vaccination should probably be considered in the population at high risk for Q fever endocarditis.
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merrygirl
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posted
Cytauxzoonosis in Cats (pics of blood smears on site)
Cytauxzoon (pronounced Sight-oz-o-un) felis is a blood parasite that was first recognized in Africa as a parasite of antelopes and other ruminants.
It was recognized in the U.S. in 1976, not as a livestock infection but as a feline one, affecting and killing cats from forested areas.
At first there was concern that livestock were soon to be next because as far as anyone knew this was a ruminant infection, but research showed only cats could be infected.
It appears that in the U.S. the natural host of this infection is the bobcat, in whom the infection is usually minor; it is only the domestic cat for whom infection is a disaster.
Cytauxzoon felis is a single-celled organism that infects both the blood and tissues.
The blood parasite stage is called a piroplasm and it's fairly easy to recognize when a blood sample is examined under a microscope.
This phase of the parasite's life cycle is not particularly harmful; it is the tissue stage, called a schizont, that causes the trouble. The cat's immune system recognizes it as an invader and launches a massive attack.
Cells called macrophages consume schizonts in large numbers to destroy them, but there are so many macrophages swollen with consumed schizonts that they plug blood vessels and cause death in approximately 3 weeks from the time of infection.
Cytauxzoon felis is spread by tick bites. The tick usually implicated is the American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis). Bobcats carry the Cytauxzoon piroplasms in their blood, ticks feed on the bobcats, and then drop off and molt to their next life stage. They are still carrying the Cytauxzoon piroplasm when they attach onto their next host; if that next host is a domestic cat, a lethal infection results.
How is Diagnosis Made?
The cat typically has a fever, with or without jaundice, and is brought to the veterinarian for evaluation. In most cases the piroplasms are fairly obvious when the blood sample is evaluated.
Because the tissue phase of the infection with the schizonts comes first and the blood infection with piroplasms comes after, it is possible that at the time the blood is tested there are no piroplasms yet.
Because of the rapid progression of the infection, piroplasms will likely occur in a few days if they aren't at first, so sometimes a second blood evaluation is needed.
Because piroplasms sometimes have variable sizes, they can be mistaken for Mycoplasma haemofelis, a much more treatable infection. Cytauxzoon organisms are larger and have a thick dot on their ring-shape
If diagnosis is made after death, it is usually easy to find the schizonts in many body tissues.
Is there any Treatment at all?
In one study, diminazene aceturate treatment was able to save several cats. Another study has reported success in one cat using imidocarb diproprionate. Cats must be hospitalized while having their blood anti-coagulated, which prevents inappropriate clotting and vessel clogging with schizont-laden macrophages.
A milder strain of Cytauxzoon felis seems to have emerged in west Arkansas and east Oklahoma, where a number of cats have survived without treatment (as do most bobcats). These cats continue to have piroplasms in their blood but seem to have no effect from this.
Prevention
The most effective prevention is to keep cats indoors because there is no tick exposure inside. The next best prevention is to use a tick control product. Two are currently marketed for use in cats: Revolution and Frontline. It is important to realize that most canine tick products are toxic to cats and cannot be safely used on them.
Date Published: 1/7/2008 11:10:00 AM
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disturbedme
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posted
Merry, thanks for the info!
I used to work at a humane society. Worked with lots of dirty, stray, old animals, etc.
I am pretty sure I was infected a LONG time ago (about 10 years ago) from a tick embedded in my arm (my family took in a dog that we found out shortly after had many, many ticks on her), but then didn't get sick until after a short while of working at the humane society (which was the 10-year-later mark basically). So I don't know if it's a coincidence or not. I know that I did have symptoms way back when, but they weren't as severe as they got just last year after the humane society job.
Maybe coincidence, maybe not. Or maybe I cought something at the humane society job that brought out the bacteria I already had from the tick bite years ago.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
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merrygirl
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Member # 12041
posted
Brucellosis
Marcia Headrick, DVM, MPH State Public Health Veterinarian DHEC, Division of Acute Disease Epidemiology
Human cases of brucellosis are listed as an ``urgently reportable condition'' on the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) List of Reportable Conditions.
Suspect or probable cases should be reported to DHEC within 24 hours by phone. Brucellosis is caused by a bacterial pathogen and is often associated with exposure to infected animals or animal products. It is also included on the list of potential bioterrorism agents.
In addition to transmission via infected animals and animal products, Brucella sp. may be transmitted via aerosolization in animal kennels or microbiological laboratories.
Contact with aborted animal fetal tissues or Ingestion of unpasteurized milk and cheeses made from unpasteurized milk are also risk factors associated with brucella infection.
There have been two confirmed cases of human brucellosis reported to DHEC thus far in 2007. One case was imported (the patient was exposed while traveling abroad.
The other case was acquired locally and associated with contact to infected feral swine carcasses during processing.
Although human brucellosis is not common in the US (about 100-200 cases are diagnosed per year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
South Carolina has some unique sources of potential exposure.
The SC Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has conducted studies of feral swine in South Carolina and found that brucellosis is enzootic (endemic) in the wild hog population. Hunting wild hogs is a popular hunting activity in South Carolina since the wild hog population is plentiful and destructive to native flora and fauna.
The hunters of these wild hogs and the individuals who process the carcasses for human consumption are at risk of infection with B. suis, the Brucella species that can be found in both wild and domestic swine (South Carolina commercially raised swine are brucellosis-free).
The DNR periodically reminds hunters of this risk in DNR publications, but at-risk patients may fail to link an illness to their hunting activities.
Therefore, it is important to query patients with compatible illness regarding any wild hog hunting or processing activities. International travel is also a risk factor for exposure to Brucella sp., particularly in the Mediterranean basin.
Another term for brucellosis is Malta Fever, named after the island of Malta in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.
Goats are an important source of infection in the Mediterranean region. B. melitensis is the species associated with goats. Many rural communities rely on goat meat and milk as a source of food and income.
Soft cheeses produced from unpasteurized goat milk can be purchased by tourists unaware of the risk. Brucella sp. are also found in cattle, sheep, deer, elk, dogs, coyotes, and other animals worldwide.
Human to human spread is rare, but possible, through sexual transmission or breast-feeding of infants.
The incubation period for brucellosis in humans ranges from less than a week to several months. Brucellosis in humans is characterized by vague symptoms often associated with the ``flu.'' Signs and symptoms include fever, night sweats, headaches, back pain, fatigue, and arthralgias. Severe illness can affect the central nervous system and heart,
Signs and symptoms may diminish and recur resulting in an undulating pattern.
(Hence the name Undulant Fever was historically ascribed to brucellosis.) Most commercial laboratories can conduct testing for Brucella sp. In general, the screening tests are fairly sensitive but not extremely specific, so false positives may occur.
Confirmatory testing is recommended as well as testing of both acute and convalescent sera collected at least two weeks apart.
Samples may be sent to the DHEC Bureau of Laboratories for confirmatory testing. Treatment of brucellosis with rifampin and doxycycline for six weeks has been successful in humans.
Other treatment regimens are also published. The CDC case definition for human brucellosis is located on the CDC Web site at: http://www.cdc.gov/epo/dphsi/casedef brucellosis_current.htm
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