Transmitted to humans via insect vectors.
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Bartonella bacilliformis
Causes Carrión disease, primarily in the Andes mountains.
Oroya fever: 1st phase of infection
– Acute hemolytic bacteremia with fever and anemia.
– Can be fatal.
Chronic verruga peruana (Peruvian warts): 2nd phase
– Blood-filled cutaneous nodules.
Treat with chloramphenicol or ciprofloxacin.
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Bartonella quintana
Transmitted in louse feces;
Trench fever, which is also referred to as
"5-day fever" because of recurring fever with headache, weakness, and pain in the long bones, particularly the tibia.
Bacteremia: Immunocompromised individuals can develop bacteremia with myalgia, malaise, weight loss, fever, and headache.
Bacteremia can lead to subacute
endocarditis or
bacillary angiomatosis, which is characterized by neovascular proliferation and formation of blood-filled nodules in the skin, subcutaneous tissues, and bones.
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Bartonella hensela
Transmitted by cats and their fleas.
Cat-scratch disease typically presents as lymphadenopathy; however, infection can become disseminated.
Bacillary angiomatosis of the skin, lymph nodes, spleen, and liver.
Subacute endocarditis