Concurrent Bartonella henselae infection in a dog with panniculitis and owner with ulcerated nodular skin lesions. Issue 1 (8th October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Rossi, Michael A.; Balakrishnan, Nandhakumar; Linder, Keith E.; Messa, Jacqueline B.; Breitschwerdt, Edward B.
• Is Part Of: Veterinary dermatology. Volume 26:Issue 1(2015:Feb.)
• Page Start: 60
• Page End: e22
• Publication Date: 2014-10-08
• Subjects: Veterinary dermatology -- Periodicals; Pet medicine -- Periodicals; 636.08965
• DOI: 10.1111/vde.12174
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0959-4493

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en" id="vde12174-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="vde12174-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p> <italic>Bartonella henselae</italic>, a Gram‐negative, zoonotic <italic>Alphaproteobacteria</italic> that infects erythrocytes, endothelial cells and dendritic cells, has previously been implicated as a cause of panniculitis in dogs and a human.</p> </sec> <sec id="vde12174-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Animal and owner</title> <p>An 8‐year‐old, spayed female Labrador retriever and its 78‐year‐old male owner living in the same household.</p> </sec> <sec id="vde12174-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods and results</title> <p>When preliminary and advanced testing failed to identify the cause of near‐simultaneous‐onset dermatological lesions, <italic>Bartonella</italic> serology, <italic>Bartonella Alphaproteobacteria</italic> growth medium (BAPGM) enrichment blood culture/PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to test specimens from the dog and owner. <italic>Bartonella henselae</italic>, genotype San Antonio 2 DNA was amplified and sequenced from the man's BAPGM enrichment blood culture and the dog's panniculitis lesion. The bacterium was visualized by immunohistochemistry in the dog's panniculitis lesion; however, neither the dog nor the owner was <italic>B. henselae</italic> seroreactive. Antibiotic therapy elicited dermatological improvement in both dog and owner.</p> </sec> <sec id="vde12174-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions and clinical importance</title> <p> <italic>Bartonella henselae</italic> is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that induces granulomatous inflammatory lesions in various tissues of animals, including humans. We conclude that this bacterium had a contributory or causative role in the development of the dermatological lesions in the dog and owner.</p> </sec> </abstract>