Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Infectious endocarditis caused by Bartonella henselae associated with infected pets: two case reports.
- Journal:
- Journal of medical case reports
- Year:
- 2023
- Authors:
- Gonçalves-Oliveira, Jonathan et al.
- Affiliation:
- Laborató · Brazil
Plain-English summary
This study discusses two cases of a serious heart infection called blood culture-negative infective endocarditis, which can occur without finding the bacteria in blood tests. The first patient was a 47-year-old man and the second was a 62-year-old woman, both from Brazil, who had severe heart valve problems. Tests showed that a bacteria called Bartonella henselae, which can be linked to pets, was present in their blood and heart tissue. The researchers also found that the pets of these patients had signs of exposure to this bacteria. The findings suggest that veterinarians and pet owners should be aware of the potential link between this heart infection and pets, especially in cases where the person has lost weight or has kidney issues.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Blood culture-negative infective endocarditis is a potentially severe disease that can be associated with infectious agents such as Bartonella spp., Coxiella burnetti, Tropheryma whipplei, and some fungi. CASE PRESENTATION: Reported here are two cases of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis in patients with severe aortic and mitral regurgitation in Brazil; the first case is a 47-year-old white man and the second is a 62-year-old white woman. Bartonella henselae deoxyribonucleic acid was detectable in the blood samples and cardiac valve with vegetation paraffin-fixed tissue samples. Additionally, an investigation was carried out on patients' pets, within the context of One Health, and serum samples collected from cats and dogs were reactive by indirect immunofluorescence assay. CONCLUSIONS: Even though the frequency of bartonellosis in Brazil is unknown, physicians should be aware of the possibility of blood culture-negative infective endocarditis caused by Bartonella, particularly in patients with weight loss, kidney changes, and epidemiological history for domestic animals.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37072873/