Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
No link found between Bartonella infection and dog nasal discharge
By Hawkins, Eleanor C et al.·Published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association·2008·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Failure to identify an association between serologic or molecular evidence of Bartonella infection and idiopathic rhinitis in dogs.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A group of 44 dogs with unexplained nasal discharge, known as idiopathic rhinitis, were tested for a possible infection with Bartonella bacteria, which can cause similar symptoms. Blood tests showed no evidence of Bartonella infection in these dogs, while only two control dogs without nasal discharge had some signs of exposure. This study suggests that Bartonella is unlikely to be a common cause of nasal discharge in dogs with idiopathic rhinitis, although it doesn't completely rule out the possibility for all cases.
People also search for: dog nasal discharge causes · idiopathic rhinitis in dogs · Bartonella infection in dogs
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To determine whether infection with or exposure to Bartonella spp was associated with idiopathic rhinitis in dogs. DESIGN: Case-control study. ANIMALS: 44 dogs with idiopathic nasal discharge and 63 age- and weight-matched control dogs without nasal discharge and no clinical signs of bartonellosis. Procedures-Serum was tested for antibodies against Bartonella henselae and Bartonella vinsonii subsp berkhoffii with indirect fluorescent antibody assays. Blood was tested for Bartonella DNA with a PCR assay. RESULTS: Results of the antibody and PCR assays were negative for all 44 dogs with idiopathic nasal discharge. One control dog had antibodies against B henselae; a second control dog had positive PCR assay results. We did not detect a significant association between assay results and group designation. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The present study failed to confirm an association between idiopathic rhinitis and exposure to or infection with Bartonella spp in dogs. Findings do not rule out the possibility that Bartonella infection may cause nasal discharge in some dogs, but the failure to find any evidence of exposure to or infection with Bartonella spp in dogs with idiopathic nasal discharge suggested that Bartonella infection was not a common cause of the disease.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18710315/