Bartonella: Everything you need to know about the bacterium maintained by fleas, ticks and other biting insects...

 THE BREGMAN VETERINARY GROUP 

www.BregmanVetGroup.com

According to a new research done at North Carolina State University, a bacterium associated with cat scratch fever and transmitted by fleas may play a role in human rheumatoid illnesses, such as arthritis.

Bartonella is a bacterium that is maintained in nature by fleas, ticks and other biting insects. It can be transmitted to humans both by these parasites as well as by bites or scratches from infected cats and dogs. The most commonly known Bartonella-related illness is cat scratch disease, caused by B. henselae, a species of Bartonella that can be carried in a cat’s blood for months to years (http://goo.gl/0PCnM).

Blood samples from 296 patients were tested to see if there was evidence of the Bartonella infection. These patients had been previously diagnosed with conditions ranging from Lyme disease to arthritis to chronic fatigue. 

Out of the 296 patients tested, 62 percent had the Bartonella antibodies, which supported the evidence that they had prior exposure to these bacteria. Bacterial DNA was found in 41 percent of patient samples, allowing investigators to narrow down the species of Bartonella present in patients’ bodies.

“Based upon this one study we can’t definitively say that a subset of rheumatoid illnesses have an infectious origin,” said Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, professor of internal medicine at NC State’s College of Veterinary Medicine. “However, our results this far do implicate Bartonella as a factor in at least some cases. If the link between Bartonella and rheumatoid illnesses is valid, it may also open up more directed treatment options for patients with rheumatoid illnesses.”

If your feline friend is having any health issues and you need to have them checked out by a veterinarian, please call one of the Bregman Vet Hospitals to schedule an appointment.

Early Spring Means Increased Risk for Ticks!

 THE BREGMAN VETERINARY GROUP 

www.BregmanVetGroup.com

Although most people weren’t complaining about the warm winter and Spring’s early arrival, pet owners are faced with a double edged sword – warm weather brings sun, short-sleeved shirts, and an earlier risk of ticks!

“This is going to be a horrific season, especially for Lyme,” says Leo J. Shea III, a clinical assistant professor at the Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine and President of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society.

Often hard to diagnose and tricky to treat, tick-borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, can cause symptoms that range from muscle aches and headaches to serious and long-term complications that can affect the brain, joints, heart, nerves and muscles (wsj.com).

After a tick bite, Lyme disease could be identified by an expanding rash that looks like a bulls-eye. That doesn’t always happen, though. Some of the antibodies against Lyme disease will not show up for weeks, which could cause false blood tests. Some infections may not even be detected for months or years. When caught early, tick-borne diseases can be treated successfully with antibiotics.

Other symptoms to look for are fatigue, chills, fever, headache and swollen lymph nodes, which all can go misdiagnosed.

Researchers say the primary reasons for the global rise of tick-borne illness include the movement of people into areas where animal hosts and tick populations are abundant and growth in the population of animals that carry ticks, including deer, squirrels and mice (wsj.com). Between 1992 and 2010, reported cases of Lyme doubled, to nearly 23,000 – with another 7,600 probable causes in 2010, according to the CDC.

Prevention is most important, because the complex interaction between ticks, their hosts, bacteria and habitats isn’t completely understood.

Please make sure you check yourself and your pets regularly for ticks. This can reduce exposure because removing them quickly can prevent the transmission of disease. Showering or bathing quickly after being outdoors can also help was of crawling ticks, or make it easier to find them.

If you think your pet has been bitten by a tick and/or is showing related symptoms, please contact us at one of the Bregman Vet Hospitals. You can also contact us to discuss preventative measures!