Spread of Bartonella henselae in cats and potential related risks

Abstract

Background: Bartonellosis, or cat scratch disease, is an emerging bacterial zoonosis caused mainly by Bartonella henselae. Cats are the most important epidemiological risk factor for transmission of infection in humans. The results first refer about the spread of Bartonella henselae in Sicily (Italy). Methods & Materials: WinEpi-Working in Epidemiology software was used to establish a sample size statistically representative. The serum and whole blood samples were collected from 359 cats of the city of Palermo. I.F.A. kit (MegaFLUO Bartonella henselae kit, Diagnostic Megacor) was used for the detection of IgG antibodies against B. henselae in cat serum samples. Fluorescence Microscope with FITC filter was used to read the slides. RT-PCR method was used for the evaluation of the presence of B. henselae DNA in cat whole blood samples. The DNA extraction from blood was carried out with the commercial kit Purelink Genomic DNA (Invitrogen). The RT-PCR instrument was Biorad CFX96 System. The detection of B. henselae DNA was carried out using TaqMan chemistry with a hydrolysis probe. Results: 170 of 359 serum samples were positive for IgG antibodies against B. henselae. The RT-PCR revealed the presence of B. henselae DNA in 124 of 359 whole blood samples analyzed. Among these 124 positive samples for B. henselae DNA, 52 sera were negative and 72 sera were positive for IgG antibodies to B. henselae. Probably the cats IgG-negative and positive for DNA presence were in the bacteremic phase and in the early or acute phase of disease. The serological prevalence, calculated on cats with the presence of antibodies against B. henselae, was 47%. The prevalence of cats in bacteremia, calculated on subjects with the presence of B. henselae DNA in whole blood, was 34.5%. Conclusion: Bartonellosis, considered a marginal pathology, is a zoonosis present in cats of the Sicilian Region. The data obtained in this study highlighted high prevalence percentages. Cats in the acute phase represent the main potential risk of transmission of the disease.