Bartonellosis, an increasingly recognized zoonosis

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Bartonellosis, an increasingly recognized zoonosis

 

 

B.B. Chomel and R.W. Kasten

 

Department of population Health and reproduction, School of Veterinary

Medicine, University of California, Davis CA, USA

 

Correspondence to Bruno B. Chomel, Department of population Health and

reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis

CA, 95616, USA. E-mail: _bbchomel_ (bbchomel)

 

 

 

 

ABSTRACT

 

Cat scratch disease is the most common zoonotic infection caused by

Bartonella bacteria. Among the many mammals infected with Bartonella spp., cats

represent a large reservoir for human infection, as they are the main

reservoir for Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae and Bartonella

koehlerae. Bartonella spp. are vector-borne bacteria, and transmission of B.

henselae by cat fleas occurs mainly through infected flea faeces, although new

potential vectors (ticks and biting flies) have been identified. Dogs are

also infected with various Bartonella species and share with humans many of

the clinical signs induced by these infections. Although the role of dogs as

source of human infection is not yet clearly established, they represent

epidemiological sentinels for human exposure. Present knowledge on the

aetiology, clinical features and epidemiological characteristics of

bartonellosis is present