Evaluation of serological response to Bartonella henselae, Bartonella quintana and Afipia felis antigens in 64 patients with suspected cat-scratch disease.
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.
Dupon
M
M
Service de Maladies Infectieuses et Médecine Interne, Hôpital Pellegrin, France.
Savin De Larclause
A M
AM
Brouqui
P
P
Drancourt
M
M
Raoult
D
D
De Mascarel
A
A
Lacut
J Y
JY
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis*; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D018413:Bartonella quintana / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007223:Infant; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012698:Serologic Tests
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M