Bartonella is better known as cat scratch fever or cat scratch disease. The illness is caused by a bacterium called Bartonella henselae, which is believed to be spread to cats by fleas. While more information has become available about Bartonella in recent years, there are still many questions left unanswered.
The disease was first described in 1950, but the cause wasn't identified until 1992.
The scenario of an infection is: The infected flea lives on the cat; the cat scratches itself and gets the infected flea's dirt (its own blood that has been digested and excreted by the flea) in its claws; the cat then scratches a person with its claws and the person becomes infected. A cat with the Bartonella henselae bacteria shows no symptoms and rarely gets sick; however, an infected cat can make a person sick.
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The Cat
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Kittens younger than one year and cats infested with fleas are the most likely carriers of the bacteria. Cats, both domestic and wild, are believed to be the only animals naturally infected with Bartonella henselae. About 40 percent of cats are believed to have the Bartonella bacteria at some point in their lives.
Feline Infection
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There are still many questions about whether Bartonella henselae makes cats sick. Fever, deep eye inflammation, lymph node enlargement, muscle pain, reproductive failure and endocarditis in cats may be associated with Bartonella infection, but this remains to be proven.
Diagnosis
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Unless you request your cat be tested to determine if it is a carrier of the Bartonella virus, it is unlikely that your veterinarian will do the blood work necessary to make a diagnosis of infection. There are five different tests that are used to determine if a cat is infected with Bartonella. Four of the tests look for antibodies that would be present if the cat is fighting an infection of the bacteria. However, these tests haven't yet proven to be reliable in providing a definite diagnosis. The fifth test uses a blood culture and is believed to be the most reliable. The test does, however, sometimes provide false negatives.
Treatment
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Cats with the Bartonella infection are treated with Azithromycin, which removes the bacteria from more than three-quarters of cats treated. The antibiotic is given to the cat over three weeks. The treatment is largely give to prevent humans from becoming infected by a cat scratch. Because Bartonella is not thought to cause in illness in most cats, it is rare that a cat is treated for any other reason.
Disease
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While it remains to be proven, some veterinarians and researchers believe there may be a link between cats infected with Bartonella and cats suffering from chronic conditions such as plasma cell stomatis and feline immunodeficiency virus. Research has shown that cats infected with these diseases are more likely to be infected with Bartonella, but no definitive connection has yet been made.
Prevention
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The best way to keep your cat from becoming a carrier of the Bartonella virus is to keep you cat indoors. Second to this is practicing strict flea control. Products such as Advantage and Frontline, which are available from your veterinarian, are the safest for your pet and the most effective at eliminating fleas.
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