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PubMed2002

New world origins for haemoparasites infecting United Kingdom grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), as revealed by phylogenetic analysis of bartonella infecting squirrel populations in England and the United States.

Phylogenetic analyses of bartonella have suggested divergence between bartonellae that infect mammals native to the Old and New Worlds. We characterized bartonella isolated from Eastern grey squirrels (Sciurius carolinensis) in the United States and from grey and red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in the United Kingdom by nucleotide sequence comparison (gltA and groEL). Isolates from grey squirrels in the United States and the United Kingdom were identical, and most similar to Bartonella vinsonii, a species associated with New World rodents. A single and novel bartonella genotype was obtained from all 12 red squirrel isolates. Although grey squirrels were first introduced into the United Kingdom over 125 years ago, they continue to be infected solely by the bartonella associated with grey squirrels native to the United States. These results illustrate that exotic species may be accompanied by the introduction and maintenance, over many generations, of their microparasites.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Rats of the genus Rattus are reservoir hosts for pathogenic Bartonella species: an Old World origin for a New World disease?

Bartonella species were isolated from the blood of 63 of 325 Rattus norvegicus and 11 of 92 Rattus rattus from 13 sites in the United States and Portugal. Infection in both Rattus species ranged from 0% (e.g., 0/87) to approximately 60% (e.g., 35/62). A 337-bp fragment of the citrate synthase (gltA) gene amplified by polymerase chain reaction was sequenced from all 74 isolates. Isolates from R. norvegicus were most similar to Bartonella elizabethae, isolated previously from a patient with endocarditis (93%-100% sequence similarity), followed by Bartonella grahamii and other Bartonella species isolated from Old World rodents (Clethrionomys species, Mus musculus, and Rattus species). These data suggest that Rattus species are a reservoir host for pathogenic Bartonella species and are consistent with a hypothesized Old World origin for Bartonella species recovered from Rattus species introduced into the Americas.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Cosegregation of a novel Bartonella species with Borrelia burgdorferi and Babesia microti in Peromyscus leucopus.

During surveillance for various tickborne pathogens in the upper Midwest during the summer and early fall of 1995, a Bartonella-like agent was detected in the blood of mice that were concurrently infected with Borrelia burgdorferi or Babesia microti (or both). The organism was isolated in pure culture after inoculation of blood from wild-caught mice into C.B-17 scid/scid mice. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA and the citrate synthase genes showed that the novel Bartonella species and a Bartonella isolate from a mouse captured on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, were closely related to each other and secondarily related to Bartonella grahamii and Bartonella vinsonii. Further analysis of Peromyscus leucopus blood and tissue samples demonstrated that the novel Bartonella species was exclusively found in conjunction with B. burgdorferi and B. microti. Patent coinfection with these agents may be relatively frequent in naturally infected mice.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Role of Hippoboscidae flies as potential vectors of Bartonella spp. infecting wild and domestic ruminants.

The putative role of biting flies in Bartonella transmission among ruminants was investigated. Amplification of the Bartonella citrate synthase gene from 83 Hippoboscidae was detected in 94% of 48 adult Lipoptena cervi flies, 71% of 17 adult Hippobosca equina flies, 100% of 20 adult Melophagus ovinus flies, and 100% of 10 M. ovinus pupae. Our findings suggest that Hippoboscidae play a role in the transmission of Bartonella among ruminants. The vertical transmission of Bartonella in M. ovinus and the presence of Bartonella DNA in all samples suggest a symbiotic association between Bartonella and M. ovinus.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Genomic fingerprinting of Bartonella species by repetitive element PCR for distinguishing species and isolates.

Repetitive-element PCR (rep-PCR) with primers based on repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP) and enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) repeated DNA sequences was used for genomic finger-printing of Bartonella species. This technique was applied by using either extracted genomic DNA or preparations of whole bacterial cells directly. PCR fingerprints with either the REP-based primers (REP-PCR) or primers based on the ERIC repeat (ERIC-PCR) revealed species-specific band patterns for the various Bartonella isolates. DNA fingerprints obtained from rep-PCR of extracted genomic DNA or from preparations of whole cells yielded comparable patterns. ERIC-PCR banding patterns were less complex than those obtained by REP-PCR but allowed better discrimination between strains within species. By combining results of REP-PCR and ERIC-PCR, five different fingerprint profiles were identified among 17 isolates of Bartonella henselae, but only one profile was identified among the five isolates of Bartonella quintana. Other Bartonella species yielded distinct rep-PCR fingerprints. rep-PCR is a useful technique for identification of Bartonella organisms to the species level and offers the advantage of ease of performance, with only small quantities of cells needed for the whole-cell procedure. This technique also appears to be useful for subtyping B. henselae isolates.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed1999

Identification of Bartonella species directly in clinical specimens by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of a 16S rRNA gene fragment.

It is now established that two species of Bartonella, namely, Bartonella henselae and B. quintana, cause bacillary angiomatosis in human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients. In addition, B. henselae causes cat scratch disease and B. quintana, B. henselae, and B. elizabethae can cause bacteremia and endocarditis in immunocompetent persons. We have developed a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism-based assay for direct detection and identification to species level of Bartonella in clinical specimens. This is accomplished by PCR amplification of Bartonella DNA using primers derived from conserved regions of the gene carrying the 16S ribosomal DNA, followed by restriction analysis using DdeI and MseI restriction endonucleases. We amplified a Bartonella genus-specific 296-bp fragment from 25 clinical samples obtained from 25 different individuals. Restriction analysis of amplicons showed that identical patterns were seen from digestion of B. henselae and B. quintana amplicons with DdeI, whereas a different unique pattern was seen by using the same enzyme with B. vinsonii and B. elizabethae. With MseI digestion, B. henselae and B. vinsonii gave nearly identical patterns while B. quintana and B. elizabethae gave a different pattern. By combining the restriction analysis data generated with MseI and DdeI, unique "signature" restriction patterns characteristic for each species were obtained. These patterns were useful in identifying the Bartonella species associated with each tissue specimen.

Angiomatosis, Bacillary↗
PubMed2005

Pathology of bartonella endocarditis in six dogs.

In a 5-year retrospective study of dogs presenting to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the University of California, Davis, there were 31 histologic diagnoses of valvular endocarditis. By polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of embedded valvular tissue, Bartonella organisms were exclusively associated with 6 out of 31 cases (19%). Confirmed Bartonella cases involved the aortic valve alone (five out of six) or in combination with the mitral valve (one of six). Microscopic features of Bartonella endocarditis were compared with valves from non-Bartonella endocarditis and with valvular change unrelated to infectious agents (endocardiosis). Features of Bartonella endocarditis included a combination of fibrosis, mineralization, endothelial proliferation, and neovascularization with variable inflammation. None of these features is specific; however, the combination is distinct both from endocarditis caused by culturable bacteria and from endocardiosis. Ultrastructural analyses revealed both extracellular and intraendothelial bacteria. Clinical history, serology, and PCR are currently necessary to establish an etiologic diagnosis of Bartonella endocarditis.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Bartonella spp. in deer keds, Lipoptena mazamae (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), from Georgia and South Carolina, USA.

Deer keds, Lipoptena mazamae (Diptera: Hippoboscidae), were collected from white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and humans in Georgia and South Carolina, USA (1 October 2001-6 January 2005) and screened for the presence of DNA from Bartonella spp. Forty deer keds were screened for Bartonella spp. by polymerase chain reaction using primers specific to the riboflavin synthase gene (ribC) of Bartonella. Bartonella species closely related to Bartonella schoenbuchensis and to the etiologic agent of cat-scratch disease (Bartonella henselae) were detected in 10 keds and one ked, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

[Capreolus capreolus and Ixodes ricinus as a reservoir of Bartonella in north-western Poland].

Capreolus capreolus and Ixodes ricinus as a reservoir of Bartonella in north-western Poland. The purpose of the study was to assess the prevalence Bartonella in Capreolus capreolus from north-western Poland forest. Supplementary, ticks infesting roe deer were also screened in order to ascertain their role as vectors and reservoirs of Bartonella. The samples of blood from 98 animals from north-western Poland were PCR-screened. Bartonella DNA was detected by using primers complementary to the intergenic spacer (ITS) between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes, which is used for identification of over a dozen species of this genus. Products of three different sizes were detected: 230 bp and 290 bp may represent two strains of B. capreoli, and 190 bp may be identify as B. bovis. All three amplicons were detected in blood, the 290 bp fragment from B. capreoli was present only in ticks, Ixodes ricinus. Generally, Bartonella infection in C. capreolus amounted to 21.4% of individuals, but was much higher during the autumn-winter seasons (62%), than in spring (4.3%). The results show that C. capreolus may be a reservoir for at least two species, i.e. B. capreoli and B. bovis, and probably do not cause persistent infection in roe deer. The high percentage of infested individuals during spring (84%) and infection detected in I. ricinus (5.2%) show that ticks are reservoir and vector of Bartonella.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Outcome and treatment of Bartonella endocarditis.

BACKGROUND: Endocarditis caused by Bartonella species is a potentially lethal infection characterized by a subacute evolution and severe valvular lesions. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the outcome of patients with Bartonella endocarditis and to define the best antibiotic regimen using the following measures: recovery, relapse, or death. METHODS: We performed a retrospective study on 101 patients who were diagnosed in our laboratory as having Bartonella endocarditis between January 1, 1995, and April 30, 2001. Bartonella infection was diagnosed using immunofluorescence with a 1:800 cutoff, polymerase chain reaction amplification of DNA, and/or culture findings of Bartonella species from whole blood, serum, and/or valvular biopsy specimens. A standardized questionnaire was completed by investigators for each patient. RESULTS: Twelve of the 101 patients died and 2 relapsed. Patients receiving an aminoglycoside were more likely to fully recover (P =.02), and those treated with aminoglycosides for at least 14 days were more likely to survive than those with shorter therapy duration (P =.02). CONCLUSION: Effective antibiotic therapy for Bartonella endocarditis should include an aminoglycoside prescribed for a minimum of 2 weeks.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Failure to detect Bartonella henselae infection in synovial fluid from sufferers of chronic arthritis.

Bartonella henselae causes granulomatous and indolent infection in the immune competent human, and angioproliferation in the context of persistent infection and impaired immunity. This bacterium is found in up to 40% of household cats, from which humans acquire it by either a cat scratch or a bite (hence the name, cat-scratch disease). Approximately 5% of Australian and US blood donors have serological evidence of past infection, but most associated illnesses are mild or subclinical. A number of lines of evidence prompted us to consider a relationship between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Bartonella infection. These include epidemiological associations with household pet exposure; apparent responsiveness of some RA cases to tetracycline therapy; the granulomatous and angioproliferative nature of Bartonella lesions; the insidiousness and high seroprevalence of this infection in the community; and even reported Bartonella infection mimicking juvenile RA. In a small group of patients with chronic arthritides, we found no direct evidence of humoral antibodies to, nor of persistent infection with, Bartonella henselae in synovial fluid. While larger and more invasive studies are likely to provide more confident exclusions of this hypothesis, this suggests that persistent Bartonella infection is unlikely to play a major role in RA.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

[Prevalence of serum antibodies against Bartonella ssp. in a health population from the south area of the Seville province].

OBJECTIVE: To know the prevalence of serum antibodies against Bartonella spp. in a healthy population from south of Spain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A clinical-epidemiological survey was conducted among 146 healthy individuals. An indirect immunofluorescence commercial technique was used in a sample of serum from each individual to detect the present of IgG type serum antibodies against Bartonella spp., considering a result equal to or greater than 1:128 as positive. RESULTS: Thirty six (24.7%) of all the subjects studied were asymptomatic carriers of antibodies against Bartonella spp. No crossed reactions against Chlamydia trachomatis, C. pneumoniae or Coxiella burnetti were observed. No significant association was found between the presence of seropositivity for Bartonella spp. and other factors. CONCLUSION: There is an elevated frequency of asymptomatic carriers of antibodies against Bartonella spp. among the healthy population of our area. This suggests that most of the infections by Bartonella are subclinical.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

[Prevalence of Bartonella spp. seropositivity in human immunodeficiency virus-infected and non infected intravenous drug abusers].

BACKGROUND: Serology is an useful tool in the diagnosis of Bartonella spp. infections in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) seronegative patients. The value of this technique in HIV co-infected individuals is unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of Bartonella spp. seropositivity among intravenous drugs abusers (IDA), both HIV-infected and non-infected. PATIENTS AND METHOD: A retrospective seroepidemiological study was carried out among 241 IDA. One hundred and forty-seven of them were infected with HIV type 1. The titer of serum IgG antibodies against Bartonella spp. were determined. RESULTS: Thirty-three (14%) individuals were seropositive for Bartonella spp. Nineteen (13%) seropositive cases were found among HIV carriers and 14 (15%) among HIV uninfected people. No relationship between Bartonella spp. seropositivity and the CD4+ cell counts was found when HIV infected patients were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: We have found a similar prevalence of Bartonella spp. seropositivity in HIV-infected and non HIV-infected IDA.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Bartonella henselae is a causative agent of cat scratch disease in Australia.

We report the first isolation of Bartonella henselae from the blood and fleas of a cat of a patient with cat scratch disease (CSD) in Australia. A 49-year-old man presented with a history that 3 weeks after he had removed fleas from his cat he had developed fever, lethargy and anorexia for 3 days. This was followed by the appearance of axillary lymphadenopathy. There was no history of a bite or scratch and no primary lesion on the skin. Two fine needle aspirates of the axillary lymph node showed granulomatous lymphadenitis with no organisms seen by Warthin-Starry silver staining or electron microscopy. No organism was cultured from the patient's lymph node aspirates or blood cultures processed by lysis centrifugation. However, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using p24E and p12B primers gave a 280 bp band indistinguishable from Bartonella henselae when using DNA extracted from the lymph node aspirates and the patient's blood leucocytes. DNA sequencing of the PCR product from the patient's blood showed that the DNA was from Bartonella henselae. The patient's serum had a titre of 1024 in an indirect immunofluorescence antibody test for Bartonella henselae. Bartonella henselae was subsequently cultured from fleas and blood taken from the patient's cat. This case provides evidence that Bartonella henselae is a causative agent of CSD in Australia and supports a possible role for fleas in transmission of the disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Bartonella-associated endothelial proliferation depends on inhibition of apoptosis.

Bartonella is a Gram-negative pathogen that is unique among bacteria in being able to induce angioproliferative lesions. Cultured human endothelial cells have provided an in vitro system in which to study the basis of angioproliferation. Previous studies have attributed the organism's ability to induce angioproliferative lesions to direct mitotic stimulation of endothelial cells by these bacteria. Here we show that Bartonella inhibits apoptosis of endothelial cells in vitro, and that its ability to stimulate proliferation of endothelial cells depends to a large extent on its antiapoptotic activity. Bartonella suppresses both early and late events in apoptosis, namely caspase activation and DNA fragmentation, respectively. Its ability to inhibit death of endothelial cells after serum starvation can be recapitulated by media conditioned by bacteria, indicating that direct cell contact is not necessary. Among tested strains, the activity is produced only by Bartonella species that are significant human pathogens and are associated with angioproliferative lesions. We suggest that endothelial cells normally respond to infection by undergoing apoptosis and that Bartonella evolved the antiapoptotic activity to enhance survival of the host cells and therefore itself. We propose that Bartonella's antiapoptotic mechanism accounts at least in part for its ability to induce vascular proliferation in vivo.

Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones↗
PubMed1995

Etiology of cat scratch disease: comparison of polymerase chain reaction detection of Bartonella (formerly Rochalimaea) and Afipia felis DNA with serology and skin tests.

To determine the role of Bartonella (formerly Rochalimaea) species and Afipia felis in cat scratch disease (CSD), two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) hybridization assays were developed to detect DNA from these organisms. These assays were applied on 89 pus aspirates from skin test-positive CSD patients (group 1) and on 137 pus and lymph node specimens from CSD suspects (group 2). Bartonella DNA was detected in 96% of the samples from group 1 patients and in 60% of group 2 samples; however, A. felis DNA could not be detected in any clinical samples. These results suggest that CSD is caused by bartonellae and that A. felis does not play a significant role in this zoonosis. A strong correlation between Bartonella PCR positivity and Bartonella henselae antibody titer was found. Comparison of CSD skin test results with those obtained by Bartonella PCR suggests a low sensitivity of the skin test.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2004

Bartonella chomelii sp. nov., isolated from French domestic cattle (Bos taurus).

Two strains of bacteria isolated from the blood of French domestic cows were found to be similar to Bartonella species on the basis of phenotypic characteristics. Genotypic analysis based on sequence comparison of the 16S rRNA and citrate synthase (gltA) genes and on DNA-DNA hybridization showed that the two isolates represent a distinct and new species of Bartonella. Moreover, the phylogenetic analysis inferred from comparison of 16S rRNA and gltA sequences demonstrated that the new Bartonella species is related to other ruminant-derived Bartonella species. The name Bartonella chomelii is proposed for the new species. The type strain of Bartonella chomelii sp. nov. is A828T (=CIP 107869T=CCUG47497T).

Animals↗
PubMed1997

In vitro susceptibilities of Bartonella henselae, B. quintana, B. elizabethae, Rickettsia rickettsii, R. conorii, R. akari, and R. prowazekii to macrolide antibiotics as determined by immunofluorescent-antibody analysis of infected Vero cell monolayers.

The in vitro susceptibilities of Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae, B. quintana, B. elizabethae, Rickettsia akari, R. conorii, R. prowazekii, and R. rickettsii to different concentrations of azithromycin, clarithromycin, dirithromycin, erythromycin, and roxithromycin in Vero cell cultures were evaluated. Bartonella and Rickettsia spp. were allowed to initiate infection of the antibiotic-free Vero cell monolayers, which were maintained in 16-chamber microscope slides in the absence of antibiotics at 32 degrees C in a CO2-enriched atmosphere. The monolayers were then incubated for 3 h to allow for initial host cell intracellular penetration by infecting species. After inoculation, inocula were replaced and tested with media containing 12 different concentrations of each antibiotic in replicate (10 wells of each antibiotic dilution) for each species, and the monolayers were reincubated. Tetracycline served as the control. Growth status of Bartonella spp. and Rickettsia spp. was determined by evaluation of immunofluorescent staining bacilli. Five days later, when antibiotic-free, control-infected cell monolayers demonstrated significant fluorescence, media were removed for all cell monolayers, the monolayers were fixed, and all specimens were stained with standard indirect immunofluorescent antibody reagents. Fluorescent foci were enumerated by counting such foci on random fields visualized with an epifluorescence microscope. The extent of antibiotic-induced focus inhibition was recorded for each dilution of antibiotic and compared with that of an antibiotic-negative control. Effective antibiotic dilution endpoints for inhibition of Bartonella and Rickettsia proliferation, as judged by absence of increase of significant fluorescence (as compared with no-growth controls), were enumerated by determining the number of cell culture chambers at various antibiotic dilutions that were negative or positive for significant Bartonella- or Rickettsia-specific fluorescence. All of the macrolide agents tested were readily active against all three Bartonella organisms, and azithromycin, clarithromycin, and roxithromycin may have potential in the treatment of Rickettsia infections. Animal model-based clinical trials are warranted to define the specific treatment role of the newer macrolide antibiotics.

Animals↗