05/23/2023
Bartonellosis is actually a group of diseases that are caused by the species of the genus, Bartonella. It is typically associated with lice and fleas but some studies have found that certain species of Bartonella are also carried by the same ticks that carry Lyme disease and are most likely the source of human bartonellosis infections. The Bartonella bacteria lives primarily inside of the lining of blood vessels, it can infect humans as well as a large variety of animals resulting in what is call bartonellosis. A recent study seemed to suggest that bartonella maybe passed from mother to her unborn child.
Symptoms of Bartonellosis and severity may vary among patients but may include:
Fever
A streaked rash that resembles stretch marks from pregnancy
Swollen lymph nodes
Lack of appetite
Headache
Fatigue
Blurred vision
Memory loss
Numbness in extremities
Balance problems
Tremors
Joint aches and swelling
Cardiovascular signs
Neurovascular inflammation
Abnormal sleeping patterns
How is bartonellosis diagnosed?
Diagnosis is based off of a combination of symptoms, physical and lab test findings. Bartonella bacteria can be hard to detect as the bacteria is immune einvasive, there are IFA serology test are available but only for a few species of Bartonella. A combination of culture and PCR detection methods maybe the most effective way of diagnosing an active infection.
Treatment with antibiotics is typically not necessary but in some instances if the bartonella infection infects the central nervous system antibiotic treatment is warranted.
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