title: Bartonella sp. bacteremia in patients with neurological and neurocognitive dysfunction.
abstract: We detected infection with a Bartonella species (B. henselae or B. vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii) in blood samples from six immunocompetent patients who presented with a chronic neurological or neurocognitive syndrome including seizures, ataxia, memory loss, and/or tremors. Each of these patients had substantial animal contact or recent arthropod exposure as a potential risk factor for Bartonella infection. Additional studies should be performed to clarify the potential role of Bartonella spp. as a cause of chronic neurological and neurocognitive dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough St, Raleigh, NC 27606, USA. ed_breitschwerdt@ncsu.edu
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Breitschwerdt
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Maggi
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Nicholson
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Cherry
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Woods
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001473:Bartonella; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D018416:Bartonella henselae; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*; D055815:Young Adult