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IntroductionThe aim of the study was to establish the prevalence of Bartonella spp. in cats in eastern Poland, and to determine the factors associated with the infection.Material and MethodsPCRs were performed to detect Bartonella DNA in the whole blood of 672 cats from four regions in eastern Poland (the Lublin, Podlasie, Masovian, and Subcarpathian provinces). The association between the previously selected variables and the dependent variable (presence of Bartonella DNA) was investigated using a logistic regression model.ResultsThe overall prevalence of infection was 40.48%. All PCR positive cats were infected with B. henselae. The living conditions of the animals (free outdoor roaming), mixed breed cats, Subcarpathian region, and absence of tick control were significant risk factors associated with Bartonella infection at a 95% confidence level.ConclusionCats in eastern Poland appear to be at risk of a bartonellosis epizootic. Factors which seem to impact the likelihood of infection in cats and factors which seem not to impact it have been suggested. We advocate additional research into the ways bartonellosis spreads, its geographical scope, and the factors that favour its development.

Canine babesiosis is a tickborne, protozoal, haemoparasitic disease that can cause varying degrees of haemolytic anaemia, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia and fever. Babesia organisms are frequently classified as either large or small. All small Babesia infections were previously attributed to B. gibsoni, but molecular analysis and DNA sequencing have revealed that there are at least three small piroplasms which infect dogs. Correctly identifying the infectious agent is important for treatment planning and prognosis. In this report, the first case of Babesia gibsoni infection in a Polish dog is presented.

Bartonellosis is a disease affecting a variety of animals. Many Bartonella infections are zoonotic, including cat scratch disease. Within the genus Bartonella are 45 species, of which more than 10 can infect cats and dogs. Companion animals serve as reservoirs for several zoonotic species of Bartonella, and may also serve as sentinels for zoonotic Bartonella species harbored by wildlife. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of the occurrence of Bartonella spp. DNA in dogs from households where cats with clinical bartonellosis were kept. The presence of DNA with 99-100% compliance of the nucleotide sequence with the sequence of the Bartonella DNA isolated from cats was demonstrated in the body of 10% of tested dogs. The results indicate that cats serve as a Bartonella reservoir for dogs, and the dogs can play the same role with regard to humans.

The cat scratch disease in humans is caused by the bacteria Bartonella henselae. The disease can take many different forms: from asymptomatic cases, cases of skin lesions, fever of unknown origin, enlargement of lymph nodes, ophthalmologic disorders, to severe cases involving inflammation of the brain and spinal cord or endocarditis. The reservoir of B. henselae for humans are domestic animals, especially cats. The diagnosis of the disease is based on data from the anamnesis, the patient’s confirmed exposure to cats, and the results of serological tests showing an increase in antibody titres for B. henselae. The disease can also be confirmed by positive results of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). No vaccines against bartonellosis are available. The most important in preventing the disease is to maintain appropriate hygiene in contact with cats and dogs, and to eradicate the vectors of Bartonella, such as fleas..