Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Bartonella infection found by PCR in Spanish dogs
By Roura, X et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary cardiology : the official journal of the European Society of Veterinary Cardiology·2018·Hospital Clí, Spain·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Polymerase chain reaction detection of Bartonella spp. in dogs from Spain with blood culture-negative infectious endocarditis.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
Eight dogs in Spain were diagnosed with a serious heart infection called endocarditis, which didn't show up in standard blood tests. Researchers found that these dogs had a type of bacteria called Bartonella in their heart tissue or blood. Unfortunately, the prognosis for these dogs was poor, but starting treatment quickly with a combination of antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanate and fluoroquinolones) may help in similar cases. If your dog shows signs of heart problems, it's important to consult your veterinarian for the right tests and treatment.
People also search for: dog heart infection symptoms · Bartonella treatment in dogs · endocarditis in dogs signs
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The presence of Bartonella spp. was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in dogs from Spain with blood culture-negative endocarditis. The aim of this study is to add information about canine infectious endocarditis in Europe. ANIMALS: Thirty dogs with naturally occurring blood culture-negative endocarditis were examined from 2010 to 2017 at three veterinary referral hospitals, located in northwest, northeast, and southeast of Spain. METHODS: It is a retrospective study. Medical records were reviewed to extract relevant data. Frozen or paraffin-embedded cardiac valve tissue and/or ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid blood samples were evaluated by PCR for the presence of Bartonella DNA. Positive results were sequenced to confirm the species. RESULTS: Polymerase chain reaction was positive for eight out of 30 dogs included (26.6%). Bartonella rochalimae, Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii, and Bartonella koehlerae were detected in valve tissue or blood. CONCLUSIONS: Bartonella could be an important cause of blood culture-negative infectious endocarditis in dogs from Spain. The outcome for those dogs affected with Bartonella spp. was grave. Prompt empirical treatment with amoxicillin-clavulanate plus fluoroquinolones could be of value in cases of blood culture-negative endocarditis.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29807750/