FELINE BARTONELLOSIS

AND ITS ZOONOTIC POTENTIAL

Athanasiou Labrini1, Chatzis Manolis1, Tsokana Constantina1, Chatzopoulos Dimitrios1, Kantere

Maria1, Kontou Ioanna2, Garoufi Anastasia2, Papaevangelou Vassiliki2, Kontos Vasilios3, BillinisCharalambos1, Spyrou Vassiliki4

1Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece

2Faculty of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

3National School of Public Health, Athens, Greece

4Technological and Educational Institute of Larissa, Larissa, Greece

Bartonella spp - An introduction

Bartonella spp 14 species with zoonotic potential

Aerobic

Facultative

intracellular

Gram-bacteria

B. henselae

B. clarridgeiae

B. koehlerae

B. quintana

B. bovis

B. vinsonii

subsp. berkhoffii

Isolated from cats

Transmission and Pathogenesis

Ctenocephalides felis

• B. henselae

• B. clarridgeiae

• B. koehlerae (possibly)

Ixodes spp

Stomoxys

Haematobia

Arthropods

Various

Bartonella

species

Ctenocephalides felis

Transmission and Pathogenesis

Cat exposure to flea feces

(eve of bacterium <9 days)

Cuts and wounds Skin inoculation

RBC

+

Endothelial cells of blood vessels

Entering in the host

saliva of the flea

bites among cats

spleen

liver ✓

✓

✗✗

Prolonged presence in blood

circulation

Intracellular localization

•chronic bacteremia

•antimicrobial resistance

Diagnosis of ectoparatisoses from fleas-Cats

1. Visible evidence of flea feces in a cat’s fur

2. Collection by combing the fur x 5 min

3. Wet paper towel

Flea Flea fecesTurns into reddish brown

Diagnosis - Serology

Serology

positive negative

Exposure to pathogen

Cannot

• Prove active infection and disease

• Attribute symptoms to pathogen

Cannot exclude

infection

Cannot identify the responsible species of Bartonella

IFAT-B.henselae

Diagnosis - Serology

Specificity: 39-46%

Sensitivity: 89-97%

False negative results

More reliable to exclude rather than to confirm infection

Serological methods

Diagnosis - Culture

Samples: peripheral blood + aqueous humor

Blood culture The most reliable for active infection confirmation

• False negative Remissions

• Long incubation period (6-8 weeks)

• > 1 for successful isolation

• Risk of cross-contamination

Disadvantages:

Diagnosis - Molecular methods

Advantages:

•Species specific identification

•More rapid compared to culture

•qPCR + nested PCR

more specific and sensitive

•qPCR quantitative method

Disadvantages:

False negative

Degradation of the

genetic material

•Maintenance conditions

•Transportation conditions

Samples: peripheral blood, aqueous fluid, cerebrospinal fluid, liver

and spleen

The Zoonotic Potential of Bartonellosis

Cat claws carrying infected flea feces

Flea bites

Person to person

Cat scratch disease : Zoonosis with worldwide distribution due to

✗

✗

Transmission by scratches

Bartonella henselae

The Zoonotic Potential of Bartonellosis

Medical history : Contact with cats - Usual scratches

Clinical picture :

Immunocompromised Spread and detection in liver and spleen

Immunocompetent Self-limiting regional lymphadenopathy

+ low fever

B.koehlerae isolated in a case of endocarditis

B.clarridgeiae antibodies in blood of a person with chest abscess

The Zoonotic Potential of Bartonellosis

Suspicion of infection with B. henselae :

•regional lymphadenopathy or fever of unknown origin

•contact with cat

• presence of papules or blisters

at the site of inoculation

appears 3 to 10 days after inoculation and

remains for 1 to 3 weeks

Added Value to One Health Approach

Man animal close contact

Risk of zoonoses transmission

Urban areas Rural areas

•Poor personal hygiene

•Limited prevention measures against cat

pathogens

Added Value to One Health Approach

Limited share of knowledge in the field of zoonoses

medical doctors + veterinarians + biologists

1) Diagnostic methods prevention and treatment

2) Study of disease and pathogenesis(studies in animals)

•global ecology

•interspecies transmission events and pathogens evolution

3) Similar clinical manifestations with severe diseases

rapid diagnosis - great importance

Conclusions

Treatable medical problem

BUT similarity to other life-threatening diseases

e.g. Tularemia ,Tuberculosis, Brucellosis

Value of companion animals for immunocompromised people

e.g. prevalence of depression among these owners

BUT need for protection of their health and well-being

KEY ROLE

PREVENTIVE MEASURES TO AVOID TRANSMISSION

Conclusions

Preventive Measures-Humans

• Avoiding contact with young

kittens and aggressive cats

(more likely to scratch and bite)

•Avoiding being licked by cats

when open wounds exist

•Thorough cleaning and

disinfection of any cat scratch

or bite

Conclusions

• Regular nail trimming (especially cats living in and outside the home)

Preventive Measures-Cats

• Regular flea control in cats (topical application of 10% imidacloprid and

1% moxidectin on the skin every month

throughout the whole year)

• Cats infested by fleas or cats with no

regular flea control should not be used

as blood donors

Our project –Research funding program THALES

Multidisciplinary Investigation and Identification of

Rota-viruses, Bartonella henselae and Leishmania

infantum in children and animal hosts using novel

technologies. Importance for Public Health.

Objectives of our Project -Research funding program THALES

1. Collection of strains

2. Molecular characterization of human and host strains

3. Determination of prevention/control measures for Public Health

protection via risk assessment

4. Dissemination of acquired knowledge

Epizootiological data – GreeceOur work so far….

Epizootiological data – Greece

•7% (healthy cats) - IFAT (cut-off value 1/100)

(research funding program THALES, during the last 18 months

of the project)

•5 children with compatible clinical picture

•22.17% (domestic cats-archived samples) - IFAT (cut-off value 1/100)

(Kontos, 2009 – personal communication)

Our work so far..

THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION!

This research has been co-financed by the European Union (European Social Fund – ESF) and Greek

national funds through the Operational Program "Education and Lifelong Learning" of the National

Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) - Research Funding Program: THALES. Investing in knowledge

society through the European Social Fund.