Bartonella henselae is a bacterium that causes cat-scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis, bacteremia, endocarditis, and peliosis hepatic. It is commonly found in cats and transmitted to humans through fleas and ticks. Symptoms range from harmless lymphadenopathy to severe blood poisoning and organ failure. Treatment with antibiotics is usually effective.
Bartonella henselae is a bacterium responsible for numerous diseases. It is perhaps best known as the agent of cat-scratch disease or cat-scratch fever, but it can also cause bacillary angiomatosis, bacteremia, endocarditis, and peliosis hepatic. Bartonella is one of the most common bacterial genera in the world, and Bartonella henselae has a worldwide distribution.
People are usually infested with Bartonella henselae through felines. The bacteria live naturally in cats without causing them any harm. Fleas and ticks are a vector for bacteria among cats, and humans can also be infected by ticks. Bartonella henselae also lives in flea feces, which can infect humans if they come into contact with a mucous membrane or wound, such as a cat scratch.
Cat-scratch disease, also known as cat-scratch fever or bartonellosis, is usually harmless and self-limiting, although it can be treated with antibiotics. In some cases, however, the disease can have severe symptoms. Bartonella henselae infection is most common in children who have recently suffered a cat bite or scratch.
Occurrences of cat scratch disease can be classified as classic or atypical. In the classic variety, patients suffer from lymphadenopathy or swollen and painful lymph nodes. There may also be a papule at the site of infection. Other common symptoms are fever, headache, chills, back pain, and abdominal pain, but not all patients experience these systemic symptoms.
Atypical cat scratch fever is a more serious condition. People with compromised immune systems are more likely to develop atypical symptoms following a Bartonella henselae infection. Atypical cat-scratch disease can emerge as Perniaud’s syndrome, consisting of conjunctivitis and swollen lymph nodes behind the ears. It can also cause neuroretinitis, nerve damage, and eye pain.
Bacillary angiomatosis is another possible symptom of cat scratch disease in those with compromised immune systems, especially those with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS). Bacillary angiomatosis is characterized by angiomas or small tumors or benign lesions. Although they most often appear on the skin, angiomas can also affect the brain, bones, bone marrow, gastrointestinal system, liver, lymph nodes, respiratory system, or spleen. The condition is usually painful and can be fatal if left untreated. Bacillary angiomatosis can be treated with antibiotics or, if necessary, a combination of antibiotics and bactericides.
A similar condition that can result from Bartonella henselae infection in immunocompromised individuals is bacillary peliosis, a form of peliosis hapatis. This condition is characterized by numerous blood-filled cavities in the liver and sometimes in other structures of the body as well. It is also treated with antibiotics.
Bacteraemia, or bacteria in the blood, is another possible consequence of Bartonella henselae infection. It can cause blood poisoning which, if left untreated, can lead to multiple organ failure. In the most extreme cases, B. henselae infection can cause endocarditis, an inflammation of the inner layer of the heart, or acute encephalopathy, generalized brain dysfunction. Fortunately, any disease caused by B. henselae can usually be completely cured with antibiotics, as long as it’s caught early enough.
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