Seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana infections in children from Central and Northern Jordan.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prevalence of antibodies to Bartonella henselae (B.henselae) and Bartonella quintana (B.quintana) among children from central and northern Jordan.


METHODS
Sera from 482 children were randomly collected from referenced governmental hospitals in the central and northern parts of Jordan during the period between January 2001 to March 2003. An indirect immunofluorescent assay was used to determine serum antibody titers to B.henselae and B.quintana. Sera that were reactive at a dilution >/-1:64 were considered positive. In addition, blood from 20 cats belonged to children with high B.henselae titers were tested using polymerase chain reaction.


RESULTS
Out of the 482 serum samples examined, 53 (11%) and 20 (4.1%) had positive antibody titers for B. henselae and B.quintana. Bartonella henselae was isolated from 4 cats that belonged to 3 children with high antibody titers to B.henselae-IgG. The seroprevalence of IgG antibodies to B.henselae was significantly higher (P<0.05) in children aged 7-10-years than in younger or older ones. Having a cat in the household and having a history of cat scratches or bites were strongly associated (P<0.01) with seropositivity to B.henselae-specific IgG. Cats ownership and history of cat scratches or bites had no impact on the prevalence of B.quintana. Seropositivity to B.henselae-specific IgG was significantly higher (P<0.01) in children from northern Jordan than in children from central Jordan.


CONCLUSIONS
This study substantiates the presence of B.henselae in Jordan, documents the seroreactivity to 2 Bartonella antigens, and suggests that cat ownership and history of cat scratches or bites are important epidemiological risk factors for B.henselae infection in Jordan.
Al-Majali
Ahmad M
AM
Section of Infectious Diseases and Zoonosis, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Jordan University of Science and Technology, PO Box 3030, Irbid 22110, Jordan. almajali@just.edu.jo
Al-Qudah
Khaled M
KM
D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000276:immunology*; D018413:Bartonella quintana / Q000276:immunology*; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D002415:Cats / Q000382:microbiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007597:Jordan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial