The seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae in healthy adults in Korea.
- Author:
Hea Yoon KWON
1
;
Jae Hyoung IM
;
Sun Myoung LEE
;
Ji Hyeon BAEK
;
Areum DUREY
;
Shin Goo PARK
;
Jae Seung KANG
;
Jin Soo LEE
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Bartonella henselae; Seroepidemiologic studies; Korea; Cat-scratch disease
- MeSH: Adult*; Animals; Bartonella henselae*; Bartonella Infections; Bartonella*; Cat-Scratch Disease; Cats; Dogs; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Immunoglobulin G; Korea*; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies*
- From:The Korean Journal of Internal Medicine 2017;32(3):530-535
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND/AIMS: Cat-scratch disease (CSD), caused by Bartonella henselae is one of the most common zoonosis. However, only several cases of B. henselae infection have been reported in Korea. This study investigated the seroprevalence of B. henselae in healthy adults and related risk factors. METHODS: Serum samples from 300 healthy participants were analyzed using an immunoglobulin G immunof luorescence assay (IFA) for B. henselae isolated in Korea. Surveys on the risk factors for B. henselae infection were conducted simultaneously. RESULTS: Of the participants, 47.7% and 15.0% raised dogs and cats, respectively. The overall seroprevalence of B. henselae was 15.0% (IFA titer ≥ 1:64). Participants who had raised cats showed 22.2% seropositivity against B. henselae, and those with no experience with cats showed 13.7% seroprevalence (p = 0.17). Participants who had cats as pets or been scratched by cats, showed 9.8% seropositivity against B. henselae (IFA titer ≥ 1:256). However, those who had not raised or been scratched by a cat showed 2.0% seropositivity (p = 0.015). CONCLUSIONS: In Korea, the seroprevalence of B. henselae is higher than expected, suggesting that Bartonella infection due to B. henselae is not uncommon. Cats are proposed to play a more important role than dogs in transmission of CSD.
