title: Experimentally induced Bartonella henselae infections followed by challenge exposure and antimicrobial therapy in cats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To elucidate kinetics of Bartonella henselae bacteremia and IgG response, evaluate antibiotic therapy, and investigate challenge exposure in cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Specific-pathogen-free cats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cats were inoculated with B henselae or B quintana and monitored. Convalescent cats were challenge exposed with B henselae. Amoxicillin, enrofloxacin, erythromycin, and tetracycline HCl were evaluated for effect on B henselae bacteremia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cats developed B henselae bacteremia within 1 week; bacteremia persisted for longer than 2 months before subsiding spontaneously. IgG antibody titer developed shortly after onset of bacteremia; antibody co-existed with bacteremia for several weeks and remained detectable after bacteremia subsided. Cats inoculated with B quintana remained abacteremic. On challenge exposure to B henselae, cats previously infected with B henselae remained abacteremic; cats previously inoculated with B quintana supported B henselae infection. Tetracycline HCl and erythromycin depressed B henselae bacteremia; however, duration of bacteremia remained similar to that in untreated cats. Obvious signs of illness were not observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-duration, high-titer B henselae infections were highly reproducible in cats. Convalescent cats were immune to reinfection. B quintana-inoculated cats did not have evidence of infection and were susceptible to B henselae challenge exposure. Antibiotic therapy was incompletely efficacious in terminating cat bacteremia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A cat with an inapparent B henselae infection must provisionally be regarded as a possible reservoir for infection for a minimum of 2 to 3 months. Convalescent cats are resistant to reinfection. Usual antibiotic therapy was not completely efficacious. Measurement of IgG antibody can be used to detect past or current infection.
authors.affiliation: Viral and Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, US Department of Health and Human Services, Atlanta, GA 30333, USA.
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Regnery
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Rooney
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Nesby
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Manzewitsch
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Beaver
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000658:Amoxicillin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016917:Angiomatosis, Bacillary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000662:veterinary; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D002371:Cat Diseases; D002415:Cats; D000077422:Enrofloxacin; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D015363:Quinolones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015363:Quinolones; D000077422:Enrofloxacin; D004917:Erythromycin; D000658:Amoxicillin; D013752:Tetracycline