Experimental-Biological Model of Bartonellosis

Bartonella are known to be important causes ofzooanthroponotic diseases. The range of human infection varies from mild lymphadenopathy and asymptomatic bacteremia to life-threatening systemic disease in immunocompromised patients. Microbiological improvements in isolation methods and PCR amplification of organism-specific DNA sequences have resulted in a dramatic increase in reports describing human patients with bartonellosis. Nevertheless, clearly and successful isolation ofBartonella spp. from bacteremic animals and human patients remains an ongoing challenge. Technology of experimental bartonellosis due to intraperitoneal introduction of biological material samples containing causative agents to laboratory animals is presented in the article. White nonlinear mice with the artificially cyclophosphamide formed immunodeficient state may be used as an experimental model for further investigation of the biological alterations responsible for angiomatosis. On the other hand, we believe that this new method will enhance the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity needed to achieve a diagnosis of bartonellosis.

Serological Evidence of Human Coinfection by Brazilian Spotted Fever and Bartonellosis

Brazilian spotted fever and bartonellosis are zoonotic, emerging and under diagnosed diseases. Pets may be co-infected by multiple pathogens and become transmissions sources to humans. The study reports the first case of active co-infection by Brazilian spotted fever and bartonellosis based on serological evidence. The authors aim to demonstrate the importance of performing systematic syndromic investigations on nonspecific febrile syndromes, guided by the epidemiological history and considering the possibility of co-infection by zoonosis sharing the same ecological niche.

Increased Risk of Bartonella Infections in Humans

Bartonellosis has emerging zoonoses of the Vector Borne Diseases (VBD) complex. Progress in evolution and changes of causer, enabled the expansion, and increased number of clinically manifest forms of disease appearance of severe disseminated forms of infections and co-infections in humans, difficult for diagnosis, therapy and prognosis. The Bartonellosis may have a benign and self-limiting evolution in a host, or potentially fatal infections. Etiological agents can provoke a granulomatous or an angioproliferative histology damages. In severely immunodeficient cases (pulmonary tuberculosis, carcinomatosis, HIV infection, patients who underwent organ transplantation etc.), Bartonella infections can be difficult and often with unpredictable course of the fatal prognosis. Present the large specter of clinical manifestations: prolonged fever, erythema nodosum like syndrome, and the other skin manifestations, sub-acute bacterial endocarditis, difficult pulmonary disturbances, bacillary angiomatosis (BA) and hepatic peliosis (HP), bacteriemia or a combination of these. In period 2007-2015 on Clinic for Infectious Diseases in Podgorica, 25 cases with Bartonella infection were diagnosed. In total sample, the most frequent were diagnosed CSD in 19 cases. During 2015 in two cases with HIV/AIDS infection, BA was diagnosed, and in four cases PH was diagnosed.

Chronic Lyme Disease Complex and Its Commonly Undiagnosed Primary and Secondary Co-Infections

Chronic Lyme disease complex describes the burden carried by patients infected with Borrelia burgdorferi as well as other co-infections or secondary co-infections (opportunistic infections). These infections can cause a significant burden on patients more so than Lyme disease alone. Along with the many underdiagnosed cases of Lyme disease throughout the world exists numerous undiagnosed co-infection and secondary co-infections leading to debilitating symptoms for many patients. The potential for co-infections varies by location as well as to the exposure to various species of ticks. Since there is potential for patients to experience several tick bites including those of different species, additional microorganisms also commonly transmitted via tick bite are included that are typically left out of the conversation of potential Borrelia burgdorferi co-infections. The most common co-infections of Lyme disease include anaplasmosis, babasiosis, bartonellosis and ehrlichiosis. Secondary co-infections or opportunistic infections commonly seen in patients with Lyme disease are also discussed. By helping to establish a comprehensive list of infections associated with Chronic Lyme disease complex may in fact help patients receive a proper diagnosis in order to administer the much needed comprehensive treatments patients deserve.

Ophthalmic manifestations of cat scratch disease

Cat scratch disease(CSD)is a worldwide distributed zoonosis caused by Bartonella henselae and other Bartonella spp.The reservoirs of Bartonella are domestic animals,especially cats,and the transmission to humans is thought to occur from a cat scratch or even through the cat flea Ctenocephalides felix.With more and more pet owners,the physicians should keep in mind signs and symptoms of CSD.A widespread infection may occur in 5-14%of cases,and ocular involvement,called ocular bartonellosis,is a quite common consequence of disseminated CSD.Although the most typical manifestations of ocular Bartonellosis are Parinaud’s oculoglandular syndrome,neuroretinitis and retinochoroiditis,many other ophthalmic conditions have been reported.The diagnosis of CSD is often based on history of contact with a cat and high serum titers of immunoglobulin G antibodies against B.henselae.Polymerase chain reaction could be helpful for CSD diagnosis when serology is negative but clinical findings are suggestive for the disease.Multimodal imaging,including fundus autofluorescence,fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography,optical coherence tomography(OCT)and OCT angiography,can be used for diagnosis and monitoring of ocular Bartonellosis.Since CSD is more often a self-limited infection in immunocompetent individuals,no antibiotic treatment is usually needed.However,when a therapy is prescribed,doxycycline is the most used antibiotic.The aim of this article is to review the current literature relating to epidemiology,systemic and ocular manifestations,diagnosis,treatment and prognosis of bartonellosis,in order to give the ophthalmologists a useful tool for daily practice.