Eurofins Biomnis code

GRIF

Synonyms

• trench fever
• Afipia felis
• LRBI
• LBI
• Cat scratch disease
• Bartonella
• Lymphoreticulosis-Benign Inoculation
• Cat scratch (disease)

Clinic significance

Bartonella henselae is recognized as the etiologic agent of cat-scratch disease (CSD) or benign lymphoreticulosis. This disease is usually preceded by contact with a cat (not necessarily including a scratch), a species which can be infected with this bacterium without any symptoms. The disease consists of lymphadenitis in one or more regions with, in some cases, concomitant systemic symptoms. Rare complications include systemic lymphadenopathy, Parinaud's oculoglandular syndrome or liver involvement but, in immunosuppressed subjects (e.g. patients with AIDS), infection can induce purpura hepatitis or bacillary angiomatosis. Organisms can be isolated from biopsy material, aspirates of pus taken from an enlarged lymph node or peripheral blood, but the bacterium is slow-growing and extremely fastidious therefore identification based on a PCR assay for bacterial DNA is currently more common; this assay also detects Bartonella quintana.Evidence of seroconversion confirms the diagnosis. A titer of 128 or over is suggestive but should be corroborated with the epidemiological background, the clinical picture and, if necessary, histological analysis. Normal subjects who live with cats may have low levels of specific antibodies. Serological analysis gives a negative result in 15 to 20% of genuine cases of CSD, either because antibody responses wax and wane in certain subjects or because the CSD is actually due to some other bacterium (another Bartonella species which is not cross-reactive with B. henselae).

Prenalytics

• 1 mL
• serum (do not use 10 mL tube)
• Refrigerated

Further information

• If positif,titration will also be performed

Methodology

Immunofluorescence

Turnaround time

3 days