title: From cat scratch disease to endocarditis, the possible natural history of Bartonella henselae infection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most patients with infectious endocarditis (IE) due to Bartonella henselae have a history of exposure to cats and pre-existing heart valve lesions. To date, none of the reported patients have had a history of typical cat scratch disease (CSD) which is also a manifestation of infection with B. henselae.
  
  
  METHODS
  Here we report the case of a patient who had CSD and six months later developed IE of the mitral valve caused by B. henselae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on this unique case, we speculate that CSD represents the primary-infection of B. henselae and that IE follows in patients with heart valve lesions.
authors: Unité des Rickettsies, CNRS UMR 6020, IFR 48, Faculté de Médecine, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille cedex 05, France. frederique.gouriet@medecine.univ-mrs.fr <frederique.gouriet@medecine.univ-mrs.fr>
authors: Frédérique
authors: F
authors: Gouriet
authors: Hubert
authors: H
authors: Lepidi
authors: Gilbert
authors: G
authors: Habib
authors: Frédéric
authors: F
authors: Collart
authors: Didier
authors: D
authors: Raoult
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000254:growth & development*; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000382:microbiology*; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000382:microbiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000382:microbiology; D008944:Mitral Valve Insufficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology