Cats and Bartonella

Healthy cats can carry five members of the Bartonella bacteria family in their blood: Bartonella henselae, Bartonella clarridgeiae, Bartonella koehlerae, Bartonella elizebethae, and Bartonella weissii, which are transmitted between cats by fleas and ticks. The bacteria can be spread to people via cat scratches and bites, contact with fur, and probably rarely by infected fleas and ticks. Although most infected people do not become ill, Bartonella, transmitted from cats, can cause 22 human diseases.

Bartonella are difficult to culture from the blood of infected cats. However, now there is a simple and accurate blood test, the FeBart ® Test developed by The National Veterinary Laboratory, to determine if cats are infected with these bacteria. Most infected cats remain infected for years and possibly for life. Although most cats are not infected, 28 % of healthy cats in the southeast are infected carriers. There is an increase incidence in stray cats and cats from adoption shelters or rescue organizations and multi-cat households are at higher risk of Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Feline Aids (FIV) and Bartonella. If your cat is found to be carrying these bacteria, we can prescribe antibiotics to eliminate the infection.

1.) Diseases caused by Bartonella in cats:

Cat Bartonella possess pili, which are hair-like structures found on the bacteria’s surface. The pili cause Bartonella to stick to, and penetrate, red blood cells that make up the walls of capillaries. The ability to adhere to the cells of capillary walls leads to the wide and varied tissue specificity observed in cats, dogs, and people. Bartonella induce inflammatory reactions in many tissues throughout the infected animal’s body. These tissues are: oral and respiratory mucosa, ocular tissues, the gastro-intestinal tissues, the skin, and organs such as the liver, spleen and lymph nodes. In fact, since capillaries are found in all tissues, all tissues are susceptible to the inflammatory effects of Bartonella. Inflammatory reactions often occur concurrently in multiple sites such as oral and respiratory tissues, ocular and oral tissues, or in other combinations. Although numerous microorganisms can cause inflammatory diseases, it appears that Bartonella is the cause of about 50% of the following conditions in pet cats:

Cat Bartonella diseases:

Oral Diseases:

* Gingivitis
* Stomatitis
* Oral Ulcers

Respiratory Diseases:

* Upper respiratory disease
* Rhinitis
* Sinusitis

Ocular Diseases:

* Conjunctivitis
* Uveitis
* Chorioretinitis
* Blepharitis
* Keratitis

Intestinal Diseases:

* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Diarrhea (chronic)
* Vomiting (chronic)

Other Diseases:

* Enlarged lymph nodes
* Fever of unknown origin
* Liver disease-hepatitis
* Skin diseases-papules & dermatitis
* Heart disease- Valvular disease (murmurs)

2.) Recommendations:

A) Test all cats that were/are strays or were adopted from a shelter or rescue organization.

B) Institute rigorous flea control.

C) Test all cats in multi-cat households when a cat is found to be infected with Bartonella.

D) Treat only infected cats.

E) Test all cats with oral diseases for Bartonella, FeLV, and FIV.

3.) Human diseases caused by Bartonella:

Previously Described Human Diseases:

* Cat Scratch Disease- (see more information below)
* Bacillary angiomatosis & peliosis
* Febrile bacteremia
* Lymphadenopathy (lymph node enlargement)
* Endocarditis & Vegetative valvular disease
* Uveitis
* Neurological disorders
* Anemia
* Neuroretinitis-chorioretinitis
* Osteomyelitis
* Newly Described Human Disease:
* Inflammatory bowel disease
* Mononucleosis-like syndrom
* Co-infection with Lyme disease
* Pulmonary infiltrates
* Meningoencephalitis
* Arthralgia & Myositis
* Juvenile arthritis
* Cutancous rash-Henoch-Schenlein purpura
* Cutancous granuloma annulare
* Disciform keratitis

Cat scratch disease develops in people a few weeks after transmission of Bartonella from cats. More than 22,000 cases occur each year, of which more than 2,000 people require hospitalization. Lymph nodes that drain the injury site become inflamed, enlarged, painful, and may develop an abscess, which may burst and drain. Severe cases may rarely progress to internal organ involvement, neurological complications, and coma. Antibiotics can shorten the clinical course, which usually lasts 6 to 8 weeks, if untreated. One episode appears to confer lifelong immunity in people. Although rare, there are reports of people becoming infected again.

4.) Therapy for Bartonella:

A) Approximately 80% of healthy Bartonella infected cats clear their infection with 10 days of a Zythromycin therapy. (If cost is not a factor, healthy cats should be treated for 21 days.)

B) Sick cats require 21 days of therapy to remove the bacteria from their body.

5.) Therapy evaluation:

A) Six months after treatment a therapy titration test is performed. A 2-4 fold decrease in the antibody titer indicates successful treatment.

6.) On going flea and tick control is a must because re-infection is possible if there is flea infestation again. The immunity does not protect the cat from re-infection.

Information obtained from National Veterinary Laboratory, Franklin Lakes, NJ