Bartonella is a Gram-negative genus of bacterium, some of which are extra-cellular, opportunisitc human pathogens.

Bartonella Infection Cycle

---

The currently accepted model explaining the infection cycle is the following: In general case, the transmitting vectors are blood-sucking arthropods and the reservoir hosts are mammals. Immediately after infection, the bacteria colonize a primary niche, the endothelial cells. Every 5 days, a part of the Bartonella in the endothelial cells are released in the blood stream where they infect erythrocytes. The bacteria then invade and replicate within a phagosomal membrane inside the erythrocytes. Inside the erythrocytes, the Bartonella keeps multiplying until a certain density, where the erythrocyte is still "working" properly. At this point, the Bartonella has simply to wait until it is taken with the erythrocytes by a blood-sucking arthropod.

Pathophysiology (Humans)

---

Humans as reservoir host:

B.bacilliformis

• Causes Carrion's disease (Oroya fever, Verruga peruana)
• Appearance: Andes

B.quintana

• Causes Trench fever, Bacillary angiomatosis, and endocarditis
• Appearance: worldwide

Humans as incidental host:

B.henselae

• reservoir host: Cat
• Causes: Cat-scratch Disease, Bacillary angiomatosis, Bacillary peliosis, Endocarditis, Bacteremia with fever and Neuroretinitis
• Appearance: worldwide

B.clarridgeiae

• reservoir host: Cat
• Causes: cat-scratch disease

B.koehlerae

• reservoir host: Cat

B.elizabethae

• reservoir host: Rat
• Causes: Endocarditis

B.vinsonii

• reservoir host: Mouse and Dog

B.grahamii

• reservoir host: Mouse
• Causes: Endocarditis and Neuroretinitis

B.washoensis

• reservoir host: Squirrel
• Causes: Myocarditis

History of Discovery

---

Rochalimaea is an older synonym. It is named after Dr Alberto Leopoldo Barton Thompson, an Argentinian microbiologist working in Peru.

References

---

• Zaher Zeaiter, Zhongxing Liang, and Didier Raoult Genetic Classification and Differentiation of Bartonella Species Based on Comparison of Partial ftsZ Gene Sequences link
• V. Jacomo, P. J. Kelly and D. Raoult. Natural History of Bartonella Infections (an Exception to Koch’s Postulate) link
• Maco, Vicente. Carrion's disease (Bartonellosis bacilliformis) confirmed by histopathology in the High Forest of Peru ^*

Rhizobiales

Bartonella | Bartonelosis