Experimental infection and horizontal transmission of Bartonella henselae in domestic cats

Abstract

SUMMARYIn order to study B. henselae transmission among cats, five young cats were kept in confinement for two years, one of them being inoculated by SC route with B. henselae (10 5 UFC). Only occasional contact among cats occurred but the presence of fleas was observed in all animals throughout the period. Blood culture for isolation of bacteria, PCR-HSP and FTSZ (gender specific), and BH-PCR (species-specific), as well as indirect immunofluorescence method for anti-B. henselae antibodies were performed to confirm the infection of the inoculated cat as well as the other naive cats. Considering the inoculated animal, B. henselae was first isolated by blood culture two months after inoculation, bacteremia last for four months, the specific antibodies being detected by IFI during the entire period. All contacting animals presented with bacteremia 6 months after experimental inoculation but IFI did not detect seroconversion in these animals. All the isolates from these cats were characterized as Bartonella (HSP and FTSZ-PCR), henselae (BH-PCR). However, DNA of B. henselae could not be amplified directly from peripheral blood by the PCR protocols used. Isolation of bacteria by blood culture was the most efficient method to diagnose infection compared to PCR or IFI. The role of fleas in the epidemiology of B. henselae infection in cats is discussed.

Human bartonellosis: seroepidemiological and clinical features with an emphasis on data from Brazil - A review

“…infections in animals, pets, especially cats, represent a large reservoir for human infection (Skerget et al 2003, Chomel et al 2006a. Cats are the main reservoir for B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae and B. koehlerae (Regnery et al 1990, Groves & Harrington 1994, Lawson & Collins 1996, Gurfield et al 1997, Chomel et al 1999, Zanutto et al 2001. Although they are well-adapted hosts to Bartonellae, several clinical and experimental studies have shown cats may become ill with the infection , Kordick et al 1999, O'Reilly et al 1999.…”

Predominant Outer Membrane Antigens of Bartonella henselae

“…Cats are the major reservoir for B. henselae, with ϳ40% of domestic cats harboring active infections and ϳ80% testing seropositive from previous exposure (5). In the absence of ectoparasites, there is no horizontal transmission of B. henselae between cats (6,42), so spread of the infection is thought to depend on the arthropod vector Ctenocephalides felis (6,13). After transmission, B. henselae grows to high levels (10 4 to 10 6 CFU/ml) in the bloodstream of its feline host, establishing long-term infections within the red blood cells (RBC) (26).…”

Bartonella henselae Infeksiyonunun Saptanmasında Kültür Sonrası PCR, Nested-PCR ve IFA Yöntemlerinin Karşılaştırılması

“…Some researchers recommended that isolation of the bacterium was the gold standard and they indicated that the most successful method to detect Bartonella species from cat blood was culture and characterization of the isolate by PCR [4,9] . But, because of the high prevalence of infection in healthy cats in endemic areas, Pennisi et al [10] determined that the positive culture was not corroboratory and other compatible diagnoses must be ruled out.…”

“…Currently, the laboratory diagnosis of bartonellosis in cats is based on direct methods (bacterial isolation and PCR) and indirect methods (Serological tests: IFA, ELISA, Western Immunobloot) [2] . Because of their fastidious nature, standard biochemical methods are not convenient for identification [3] and cannot be used in differentiation of the species in the genus, therefore molecular methods are commonly used for this purpose [4] . The aim of this study was to compare three diagnostic methods including culture followed by PCR from whole blood, nested-PCR from oral swab and whole blood, and IFA from serum samples.…”