Evaluation of serological response to Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana and Afipia felis antigens in 64 patients with suspected cat-scratch disease

Scand J Infect Dis. 1996;28(4):361-6. doi: 10.3109/00365549609037920.

Abstract

The serological response to Bartonella henselae, B. quintana, and Afipia felis was assessed by an indirect fluorescence antibody test (IFAT) in 64 patients with suspected cat-scratch disease (CSD) recruited from the Bordeaux area in France. Blood samples were collected from 57 patients with chronic lymphadenopathy who underwent lymph-node biopsy with suggestive histopathologic features of CSD, and from an additional 7 patients with suspected CSD who underwent surgical incision and drainage because of lymph-node tenderness. Of the patients, 31 were male and 33 female, with a median age of 27 years (range 2-89). 69.8% reported cat and/or dog contact. Of the 26/64 (40.6%) patients, serum samples were positive at a titer of 1:100 or more for immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies (17 only to B. henselae, 1 only to B. quintana, 3 only to Afipia felis, and 5 to both B. henselae and B. quintana). IgM or IgA antibodies were also detected in 10 patients with IgG antibodies to B. henselae. 11 (17.2%) of the 64 patient serum samples were positive at a low titer of 1:50. These data suggested that serological response assessed by standard IFAT is not enough to confirm a CSD diagnosis.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Antibodies, Bacterial / analysis
  • Antigens, Bacterial / analysis*
  • Bartonella henselae / isolation & purification*
  • Bartonella quintana / isolation & purification*
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / diagnosis
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / immunology
  • Cat-Scratch Disease / microbiology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / isolation & purification*
  • Humans
  • Immunoglobulin A / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin G / analysis
  • Immunoglobulin M / analysis
  • Infant
  • Lymphatic Diseases / immunology
  • Lymphatic Diseases / microbiology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Serologic Tests

Substances

  • Antibodies, Bacterial
  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Immunoglobulin A
  • Immunoglobulin G
  • Immunoglobulin M