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Bartonellosis is a group of emerging infectious diseases caused by bacteria belonging to the Bartonella genus. Bartonella bacteria are gram-negative, meaning they have a double cell wall that prevents white blood cells from ingesting them. Bartonella can be transmitted to humans through the bite of fleas, lice, ticks, or cat scratches and bites. Cat scratch disease (CSD) is the most well-known disease caused by Bartonella henselae, with symptoms including muscle, bone, or joint aches, and loss of appetite or weight loss. Trench fever, caused by Bartonella quintana, can also lead to muscle aches, leg and back pain, and skin rashes. While Bartonella infection does not always cause overt illness, it can result in persistent fatigue, severe headaches, and muscle pain. Given the potential for long-term infection and various health complications, seeking medical attention from a team knowledgeable about Bartonella is crucial if any symptoms are experienced.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Cause of muscle wasting | Bartonella bacteria can cause muscle pain and aches, which may lead to muscle wasting. |
| Transmission | Bartonella is transmitted by vectors such as fleas, lice, ticks, and sandflies. It can also be transmitted by companion animals (dogs and cats) through bites, scratches, or licking open wounds. |
| Symptoms | In addition to muscle pain, Bartonella can cause fatigue, headaches, joint pain, bone pain, fever, swollen lymph nodes, skin rashes, nausea, and light sensitivity. |
| Complications | Bartonella can lead to more severe complications, including endocarditis, encephalopathy, neuroretinitis, Parinaud's oculoglandular syndrome, and hepatosplenomegaly. |
| Treatment | Antibiotics are typically used to treat Bartonella infections. However, in some cases, alternative treatments may be necessary due to antibiotic resistance. |
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What You'll Learn
Bartonella bacteria can cause muscle pain and wasting
Bartonellosis is a group of emerging infectious diseases caused by bacteria belonging to the Bartonella genus. Bartonella includes at least 22 named species of bacteria, mainly transmitted by carriers (vectors) such as fleas, lice, or sandflies. Both domestic and wild animals can be infected with Bartonella species, and these vectors can transmit the bacteria to humans.
In addition to muscle pain, Bartonella bacteria can cause other symptoms, including bone or joint pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, severe headaches, chest pain, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. Bartonella can also lead to neurological symptoms such as cognitive impairment, peripheral neuropathy, and seizures.
Bartonella infections can be challenging to diagnose because the bacteria can hide undetected in the body for years, and the symptoms often mimic other health conditions. However, once properly diagnosed, a round of antibiotics is typically the first line of treatment.
If you believe you may have been exposed to Bartonella bacteria, it is important to seek medical advice from a team familiar with the condition. Accurate diagnostic tests for Bartonella infections are still being developed, and treatment protocols are not yet well-defined.
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Bartonella is transmitted by cats, ticks, fleas, lice, sandflies and more
Bartonella is a bacterial genus that includes at least 22 named species, mainly transmitted by vectors including fleas, lice, or sandflies. Both domestic and wild animals can be infected with Bartonella species by these vectors. Cat fleas carrying Bartonella bacteria defecate on cats, and the bacteria survive in the faeces on cats for many days. When cats scratch themselves, the bacteria from the faeces get under their claws, then transmit to humans through a scratch. Bartonella bacteria have also been identified in cat saliva and can be transmitted by a cat bite.
Bartonella can also be transmitted by ticks. Ixodes ricinus ticks have been shown to be capable of acquiring Bartonella birtiesii infection from an infected mouse and transmitting this infection to an uninfected mouse. However, the ability of Ixodes ticks to transmit Bartonella henselae has not been specifically demonstrated. The evidence for ticks as vectors of Bartonella organisms is circumstantial but fairly strong. Laboratory studies have found that Ixodes ticks can be competent vectors of Bartonella.
Several species of Bartonella bacteria cause disease in people. Infection with any one of these bacteria is referred to broadly as bartonellosis, although some forms of infection also have common names (for example, cat scratch disease). Cat scratch disease is the most well-known disease caused by Bartonella henselae and is the most common form of bartonellosis in the United States.
Other vectors that infect humans with Bartonella are sandflies, lice, and fleas. B. quintana is transmitted by the human body louse. B. bacilliformis is transmitted by bites from infected sand flies.
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Cat scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae
Cat scratch disease (CSD), also known as cat scratch fever or bartonellosis, is a bacterial infection caused by Bartonella henselae. It is the most well-known disease caused by the Bartonella species. CSD can affect humans, dogs, cats, and other animals. The disease is often associated with a cat scratch, but transmission occurs through cat fleas and possibly other biting flies or ticks. Cat fleas carry Bartonella bacteria and defecate on cats, and the bacteria survive in the faeces for several days. When cats scratch themselves, the bacteria from the faeces get under their claws and are then transmitted to humans through a scratch.
Bartonella bacteria have also been identified in cat saliva and can be transmitted by a cat bite. Cats become infected with Bartonella henselae through flea bites. When a flea feeds on an infected cat, it ingests the organisms, which then make their way into a human if the flea next feeds on a person. However, so far, there is no evidence that a bite from an infected flea can transmit CSD. Rather, infection results from exposure to the B. henselae-infected flea excrement. Cats remain infectious for a few weeks, after which the organism disappears from the blood.
CSD occurs wherever cats and fleas are found. The disease occurs most often in children under the age of 15. Although CSD usually resolves spontaneously within 2-4 months without treatment, antibiotic treatment is recommended for severe cases and immunocompromised patients, such as those with HIV/AIDS. The major symptoms of CSD may not appear for several days or weeks after exposure. A red spot may appear on the skin at the site of infection and may become raised 3 to 10 days after exposure. Other symptoms include mild fever, chills, tiredness, enlarged lymph nodes, and lesions on the skin or conjunctiva.
Bartonella henselae can also cause rare complications, such as inflammation of the liver or spleen, bone infection, inflammation of the brain, inflammation of the retina and optic nerve of the eye, infection of the heart valve, and other atypical manifestations. Bartonella infections can cause persistent fatigue, malaise, intense headaches, and aches and pains throughout the body.
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Trench fever is caused by Bartonella quintana
Trench fever, also known as "quintan fever," "Wolhynia fever," or "5-day fever," is caused by the Bartonella species, Bartonella quintana. Trench fever is a relapsing, acute febrile disease. It was first reported in infected troops during World War I, where it earned its name due to the many cases among soldiers who lived in crowded trenches under poor hygienic conditions. The disease is transmitted by the human body louse, Pediculus humanus corporis, which lives in clothes. The lice's faeces enter the human bloodstream through a cut, scrape, or bite, causing infection.
The incubation period for trench fever is typically 6 days, but it can be extended to 5 to 20 days in some cases. The disease is characterised by attacks of fever lasting 2 to 4 days, accompanied by headaches, pain in the shin, and dizziness, which recur every 4 to 6 days. Some people may also experience malaise, chills, anorexia, profuse sweating, and bone pain, especially in the shins, neck, and back. In some cases, skin lesions called "bacillary angiomatosis" may develop, primarily affecting people with weakened immune systems, such as those with advanced HIV infection.
Bartonella quintana can cause a cyclical pattern of symptoms due to its ability to invade red blood cells. The bacteria may be released from red blood cells every five days, leading to recurring episodes of fever and other symptoms. The severity of the infection depends on the virulence of the bacterial species, the bacterial load, and the health of the infected person's immune system. While trench fever is rarely fatal, it can cause severe infections in patients with compromised immune systems.
Trench fever is typically treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline. However, treating the illness itself may not be sufficient, and addressing the underlying lice infestation may also be necessary. Access to regular showers and laundry services is critical to preventing quintana infection, especially among people living in congregate shelters or lacking access to housing.
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Bartonella can cause severe infection and is life-threatening
Bartonella is a group of emerging infectious diseases caused by bacteria belonging to the Bartonella genus. Bartonella includes at least 22 named species of bacteria, mainly transmitted by carriers (vectors) such as fleas, lice, ticks, or sandflies. Both domestic and wild animals can be infected with Bartonella species, which can then be transmitted to humans through bites or scratches. Cat scratch disease (Bartonella henselae) is the most well-known disease caused by Bartonella.
While Bartonella infection does not always cause overt illness, and some people may be clinically healthy and test positive for Bartonella without any history of typical symptoms, the bacteria can cause severe infections in some people. Immunocompromised patients, such as those undergoing immunosuppressive treatments for cancer, organ transplant patients, and people with HIV/AIDS, are more likely to develop severe, life-threatening diseases.
Bartonella can cause a range of symptoms, including unusual fatigue, persistent fatigue, malaise, muscle pain, muscle weakness, muscle twitching, headaches, dizziness, high fever, severe headaches, chest pain, shortness of breath, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, leg and back pain, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, and in rare cases, heart failure. In addition, Bartonella can cause neurological symptoms such as cognitive impairment, disconnection syndrome, poor executive function, decreased working memory, decreased processing speed, mood swings, peripheral neuropathy, numbness, tingling in the hands and feet, dysautonomia/POTS, tremors, seizures, vertigo, PANS/PANDAS, OCD, and ALS.
Some people may experience long-term Bartonella infections, with symptoms persisting even after treatment. Bartonella bacteria can hide undetected in the body for years, and the infections are often tough to diagnose due to their nonspecific symptoms that overlap with other illnesses. Accurate diagnostic tests for Bartonella are still being developed, and treatment protocols are not yet well-defined.
While most cases of cat scratch disease caused by Bartonella henselae are mild and self-limiting, resolving without treatment, severe cases and immunocompromised patients may require antibiotic treatment. In addition, Bartonella has been associated with various diseases affecting the skin, liver, heart, eyes, blood, and brain, such as bacillary angiomatosis, peliosis hepatis, endocarditis, neuroretinitis, bacteremia, and encephalitis. Therefore, it is important to seek medical attention from a team familiar with Bartonellosis to ensure proper diagnosis and treatment.
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Frequently asked questions
Bartonella is a group of infectious diseases caused by bacteria belonging to the Bartonella genus. Bartonella includes at least 22 named species of bacteria that are mainly transmitted by carriers (vectors), including fleas, lice, ticks, or sandflies.
The symptoms of Bartonella vary from mild to severe and can include swollen lymph nodes, bumps on the skin, fever, headaches, dizziness, neurological symptoms, muscle, bone, or joint pain, and fatigue. In some cases, Bartonella can cause severe infections and even lead to life-threatening diseases such as endocarditis or encephalopathy.
While there is no direct evidence that Bartonella causes muscle wasting, it is associated with muscle, bone, and joint pain, as well as overall fatigue and weakness. In severe cases, Bartonella can lead to life-threatening complications, including endocarditis and encephalopathy, which can indirectly cause muscle wasting. However, the specific impact on muscle health is not well documented.
