Bartonella spp. in cats

Paulė Drigotaitė; Miglė Razgūnaitė; Jana Radzijevskaja; Algimantas Paulauskas

doi:10.6001/biologija.v67i2.4457

Paulė Drigotaitė
Miglė Razgūnaitė
Jana Radzijevskaja
Algimantas Paulauskas

DOI: https://doi.org/10.6001/biologija.v67i2.4457

Keywords: bartonella, cats, vector-borne zoonotic diseases, pathogenesis

Abstract

Bartonella spp. are gram-negative, haemotropic bacteria infecting both a wide range of animals and humans. The currently known vectors of Bartonella spp. are fleas, ticks, lice, and sand flies. Domestic cats are the main reservoir for B. henselae, B. clarridgeiae, and B. koehlerae. Bartonella infections in cats vary from mild to deadly and, since they usually have no specific symptoms, they are often underestimated. This review provides information on Bartonella infections in cats, their biology, and pathogenicity.