title: Detection of Bartonella henselae in domestic cats' saliva.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bartonella species are being recognized as increasingly important bacterial pathogens in veterinary and human medicine. These organisms can be transmitted by an arthropod vector or alternatively by animal scratches or bites. The objectives of this study were to identify contamination of cat's saliva and nail with B. henselae as a causative role to infect human in a sample of the cat population in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood, saliva and nail samples were collected from 140 domestic cats (stray and pet) from Tehran and Shahrekord and analyzed for the presence of B. henselae with cultural and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods and DNA sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study B. henselae was detected in 10.9% of saliva samples (12/110) from pet cats. B. henselae was not detected in nail samples of pet cats (n=110), and in any feral cats' saliva and nail samples (n=30).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that pet cats are more likely than stray cats to infect human with B. henselae after a bite and also stray cats can play a role as a reservoir for this bacteria. This is the first report that investigates the presence of B. henselae in cats oral cavity in Iran.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oskouizadeh
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zahraei-Salehi
authors.forename: Sj
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aledavood