<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>The genus <italic>Bartonella</italic> are fastidious, Gram-negative intracellular vector-borne bacteria with zoonotic potential. Cats have a crucial epidemiological role in the transmission of <italic>Bartonella henselae</italic>, the primary causal agent of cat-scratch disease in humans. Here we describe the first report of <italic>B. henselae</italic> infection in a cat in North Macedonia after a suspected <italic>Bartonella</italic> infection in a 7-year-old boy. A combination of cultural and molecular methods for detecting <italic>B. henselae</italic> in the asymptomatic cat was used. A blood sample was cultured on a blood agar plate, where colonies became visible after nine days of incubation. The DNA of a single colony was extracted, and the isolate was confirmed as <italic>B. henselae</italic> by sequencing the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene and performing a <italic>Bartonella</italic> - specific PCR. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated 100% similarity with <italic>B. henselae</italic> sequences, clustering on a single branch and establishing a distinct group. This finding indicates that <italic>B. henselae</italic> infection in cats circulates in North Macedonia and may affect feline and human health.</p>
</abstract>

The genus Bartonella are fastidious, Gram-negative intracellular vector-borne bacteria with zoonotic potential. Cats have a crucial epidemiological role in the transmission of Bartonella henselae, the primary causal agent of cat-scratch disease in humans. Here we describe the first report of B. henselae infection in a cat in North Macedonia after a suspected Bartonella infection in a 7-year-old boy. A combination of cultural and molecular methods for detecting B. henselae in the asymptomatic cat was used. A blood sample was cultured on a blood agar plate, where colonies became visible after nine days of incubation. The DNA of a single colony was extracted, and the isolate was confirmed as B. henselae by sequencing the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene and performing a Bartonella - specific PCR. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated 100% similarity with B. henselae sequences, clustering on a single branch and establishing a distinct group. This finding indicates that B. henselae infection in cats circulates in North Macedonia and may affect feline and human health.

First Report of <italic>Bartonella Henselae</italic> Infection in a Cat in North Macedonia

Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje

Macedonian Veterinary Review

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

First Report of  Infection in a Cat in North Macedonia

The genus Bartonella are fastidious, Gram-negative intracellular vector-borne bacteria with zoonotic potential. Cats have a crucial epidemiological role in the...

First Report of Bartonella Henselae Infection in a Cat in North Macedonia

Published Online: Sep 28, 2023

Page range: 207 - 213

Received: Jul 05, 2023

Accepted: Sep 18, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/macvetrev-2023-0028

Keywords
zoonosis, public health, detection

© 2023 Ivana Shikoska et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

First Report of Bartonella Henselae Infection in a Cat in North Macedonia

Published Online: Sep 28, 2023

Page range: 207 - 213

Received: Jul 05, 2023

Accepted: Sep 18, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/macvetrev-2023-0028

Keywordszoonosis, public health, detection

© 2023 Ivana Shikoska et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
zoonosis, public health, detection