Clinical Information

Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana are small, rod-shaped, pleomorphic, gram-negative bacteria. The human body louse (Pediculus humanis) is the proposed vector for Bartonella quintana. No animal reservoir has been determined for Bartonella quintana. The domestic cat is believed to be both a reservoir and vector for Bartonella henselae. Cats may infect humans directly through scratches, bites, or licks, or indirectly through an arthropod vector. Humans remain the only host in which Bartonella infection leads to significant disease.

The sight of entry for Bartonella is through openings in the skin. Microscopically, Bartonella lesions appear as rounded aggregates that proliferate rapidly. These aggregates are masses of Bartonella bacteria. Warthin-Starry staining has shown that Bartonella organisms can be present within the vacuoles of endothelial cells, in macrophages, and between cells in areas of necrosis. Occasionally organisms are seen in the lumens of vessels. While cutaneous lesions are common, disseminated tissue infection by Bartonella has been seen in the blood, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, bone marrow, and heart.

Bartonella henselae has been associated with cat scratch disease (CSD), peliosis hepatitis (PH), and endocarditis. Bartonella quintana has been associated with trench fever, bacillary angiomatosis (BA), and endocarditis. Both can cause BA, a newly recognized syndrome. BA is a vascular proliferative disease usually involving the skin and regional lymph nodes.

CSD begins as a cutaneous papule or pustule that usually develops within a week after an animal contact. Regional lymphadenopathy, which follows, is the predominant clinical feature of CSD. Skin testing has been used in the past for CSD, but no skin test has been licensed for routine use.

Trench fever, which was a problem during World War I and World War II, is characterized by a relapsing fever and severe pain in the shins.

Interest in Bartonella quintana and Bartonella henselae has recently increased since its presence in AIDS patients and transplant patients has been documented. PH and febrile bacteremia syndrome are both syndromes that have afflicted patients with AIDS or those patients that are immunocompromised.

While trench fever and CSD are usually self-limiting illnesses, the other Bartonella-associated diseases can be life-threatening.