Serological review of Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana infection among Malaysian patients with unknown causes of febrile illnesses
https://doi.org/10.47665/tb.39.3.004
- Author:
Hou, S.L.
1
;
Idris, N.
1
;
Tay, S.T.
1
Author Information
1. Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Bartonella henselae;
Bartonella quintana;
IFA;
febrile illness.
- From:Tropical Biomedicine
2022;39(No.3):328-331
- CountryMalaysia
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Limited information is available on human exposure to Bartonella infection, i.e., Bartonella henselae
(causative agent of cat scratch disease) and Bartonella quintana (causative agent of trench fever) in
West Malaysia. This study reports a review of serological findings obtained from patients attending
to a teaching hospital in Klang Valley, Malaysia. An indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) was
used to determine IgG and IgM antibody titers against B. henselae and B. quintana. In a pilot study
conducted between 2013-2015, IgG antibodies against Bartonella spp. (either B. quintana and B.
henselae) were detected in 14 (36.8%) of 38 patients who were clinically suspected of rickettsial
infections, while IgM antibody was detected in 4 (10.5%) patients. This has prompted us to
investigate the serologic responses of patients who were clinically suspected of other febrile causes
besides rickettsial infection. Of the 59 serum samples analysed in a follow-up investigation,
Bartonella IgG antibodies were detected from 7 (11.9%) patients, of which 5 (27.8%) and 2 (18.2%)
patients were clinically suspected of rickettsial infection (n=18) and dengue (n=11), respectively.
None of the sera obtained from the leptospirosis (n=10), legionellosis (n=10) and mycoplasma
infection (n=10) groups were seropositive to Bartonella spp. The review of Bartonella serological
findings in this study highlights that Bartonella infection is not uncommon and should be considered
as one of the causes for febrile illness in Malaysia.
- Full text:8.2022my1349.pdf
