Chronic sinusitis and Bartonella in Cats
March 5th, 2009 | Comments Off | Posted in Bartonella, bartonellosis, upper respiratory tract disease
Berryessa NA, Johnson LR, Kasten RW, Chomel BB. Microbial culture of blood samples and serologic testing for bartonellosis in cats with chronic rhinosinusitis. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 2008;233(7):1084-1089.Chronic rhinosinutitis (CRS) is a frequent and frustrating medical disorder of cats. A common finding is excessive accumulation of nasal mucus along with sneezing, nasal discharge, and turbinate bone damage. The underlying cause for this disease is most likely multifactorial and due to a mix of a viral infection, secondary bacterial infection, and a poorly developed immune response. Treatment has primarily been directed at the result of the disease instead of potential causes. Bartonella are blood borne organisms most likely transmitted to cats through exposure to flea feces. Bartonella have been implicated in nasal inflammation in small animals and often private clinicians will test for the organism along with treating with azithromycin on the assumption that Bartonella is present. This study consisted of 4 groups of cats. The first group (19 cats) was composed of cats with CRS whose diagnosis was based on having a mucopurulent discharge longer than 3 months. The remaining 3 control groups were cats with other nasal diseases (Group 2: 10 cats), cats with systemic disease with no nasal disease (Group 3: 15 cats), and healthy cats (Group 4: 15 cats). All cats in the study had serologic testing for Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae and microbial cultures of blood samples performed. In those cats where nasal disease was evaluated, a biopsy sample was taken for histologic examination and another biopsy sample saved for PCR assay to detect Bartonella. The results of the study showed no significant differences in seropositivity or culture results in cats with CRS compared to the results of the 3 control groups. A positive serologic test for Bartonella would most likely indicate exposure and not presence of infection from the organism. In addition, the PCR assays of the nasal tissue samples were negative indicating that Bartonella organisms do not play an important role in the pathogenesis of CRS as demonstrated in these cats. One limitation of the study was the small number of cats enrolled. The authors do recommend a continued need to look for an association between Bartonella and other chronic inflammatory diseases in cats. [VT]
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Johnson L, Foley J, DeCock H, al e. Assessment of infectious organisms associated with severe chronic rhinosinusitis in cats. J Amer Vet Med Assoc. 2005;227(4):579-585.
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Quimby JM, Elston T, Hawley J, Brewer M, Miller A, Lappin MR. Evaluation of the association of Bartonella species, feline herpesvirus 1, feline calicivirus, feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus with chronic feline gingivostomatitis. J Feline Med Surg. Feb 2008;10(1):66-72.
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Causes of Gingivitis in Cats
May 20th, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in Bartonella, FIV, FeLV, calicivirus, feline herpesvirus, feline immunodeficiency virus, feline leukemia virus, gingivitis, gingivostomatitis, stomatitis
Quimby, J. M., T. Elston, et al. (2008). "Evaluation of the association of Bartonella species, feline herpesvirus 1, feline calicivirus, feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus with chronic feline gingivostomatitis." J Feline Med Surg 10(1): 66-72.Gingivostomatitis is a common medical condition in cats. Clinical signs include red and swollen gums that may bleed easily, halitosis, and oral pain. The discomfort can lead to dysphagia, decreased appetite, and weight loss. The syndrome is likely to be multifactorial and it is suspected to involve an exaggerated immune response to either infectious or non-infectious antigens. Other factors that may be involved include genetic predispostion, diet, stressors, and the effects of domestication. Several infectious agents have been found in cats with gingivostomatitis such as feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), calicivirus (FCV), herpesvirus (FHV-1), and Bartonella. However, all these agents can also be found in healthy cats so proving cause and effect has been difficult. The 45 cats in this study were housed together, had a history of flea exposure, and were vaccinated with a modified live FVRCP vaccine. At the time of sample collection, 36 of the cats had active gingivostomatitis. Samples were collected and analyzed for infectious agents. All of the agents were found in the population with the exception of FeLV. However, evidence of infection with Bartonella species, FHV-1, FCV, FeLV or FIV was not overrepresented in the cats with gingivostomatitis and so the data fail to support the hypotheses that these organisms were a cause of gingivostomatitis in this population of cats. The researchers conclude that diagnostic test results for these infectious agents should be interpreted carefully as none appear to correlate to the presence or absence of disease.
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Southerden, P. and C. Gorrel (2007). "Treatment of a case of refractory feline chronic gingivostomatitis with feline recombinant interferon omega." J Small Anim Pract 48(2): 104-6.
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Cat Scratch Disease: A Review
April 29th, 2008 | Comments Off | Posted in B. henselae, Bartonella, bartonellosis, cat scratch disease, fleas
Breitschwerdt, E. B. (2008). "Feline bartonellosis and cat scratch disease." Vet Immunol Immunopathol 123(1-2): 167-71.Cat scratch disease (bartonellosis) is caused by various species of Bartonella, intracellular bacteria that favour red blood cells. Cats can be infected with five Bartonella species, including B. henselae and B. clarridgeae. Humans and many domestic animals, such as cattle and dogs, can also serve as chronically infected reservoir hosts for Bartonella. Many arthropod vectors, such as biting flies, fleas and ticks have been implicated in transmission of Bartonella to animals and humans. Bartonella infection can cause various problems in humans, including endocarditis, granulomatous inflammation of lymph nodes, and central nervous system dysfunction. Bartonellosis can be diagnosed in cats with serology, PCR, and culture. However, the issue is clouded by the high rate of sub-clinical infections in cats, making it very difficult to confirm bartonellosis as the cause of illness in cats. Fleas are involved in transmission from cat to cat, so the use of flea control products is critically important to decrease the risk of transmission of Bartonella among cats and to humans.
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Chomel, B. B., H. J. Boulouis, et al. (2006). "Bartonella spp. in pets and effect on human health." Emerg Infect Dis 12(3): 389-94.
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