Bartonellosis

What is bartenollosis?

Bartonellosis is a zoonotic disease caused by bacteria of the genus Bartonella. Several Bartonella species are known to cause disease in humans, including Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana and Bartonella bacilliformis. The disease occurs worldwide and has been reported in Africa, the Americas, Asia and Europe. Cats are the main reservoir of Bartonella henselae, the cause of cat-scratch disease, which is the most common form of human bartonellosis. The severity of disease ranges from mild, self-limiting illness to severe infection involving multiple organs, particularly in immunocompromised individuals.