title: Tick-borne infections as a cause of heart transplantation.
abstract: Many bacterial species can be a cause of various heart diseases, such as: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, Coxiella burnetii and Bartonella spp. The aim of the present studies was to establish if any tick-borne infections can contribute to serious heart disorders resulting in the need for heart transplantation. Myocardium, aortic and mitral valve samples from hearts removed from patients undergoing heart transplantation were tested. The presence of Bartonella spp., Borrelia afzeli and C. burnetii bacteria in malfunctioning human hearts has been shown. DNA of Bartonella spp., B. burgdorferi and C. burnetii were detected in various parts of tested hearts. DNA of B. afzelii and Bartonella spp. were found in the aortic valves. DNA of C. burnetii was detected in the myocardium. Mixed infections with Bartonella spp. and C. burnetii were also observed. Obtained results indicate that diagnosis of Bartonella spp., B. burgdorferi C. burnetii and Rickettsia spp. infections should be considered in cases of infectious endocarditis with negative blood cultures.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Public Health-National Institute of Hygiene, Laboratory of Rickettsia, Chlamydia and Spirochetes, Warsaw, Poland. imaczka@pzh.gov.pl
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Maczka
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chmielewski
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Walczak
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rózański
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Religa
authors.forename: Stanisława
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tylewska-Wierzbanowska
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D001473:Bartonella / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D001898:Borrelia / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D016997:Coxiella burnetii / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D016027:Heart Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis