title: Diagnosis and follow-up of Bartonella henselae infection in the spleen of an immunocompetent patient by real-time quantitative PCR.
abstract: Systemic Bartonella henselae infections are unusual in immunocompetent adults. However, here we report one such case of bartonellosis in a 34-year-old patient, who presented with fever and multinodular splenomegaly. We also describe a novel method of identifying Bartonella henselae by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and sequencing of amplified products. This could prevent splenic bartonellosis being mistaken for lymphoma and thereby avert unnecessary splenectomy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Department of Health Sciences, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Carla
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Liberto
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Department of Health Sciences, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Matera
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Department of Health Sciences, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Lamberti
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Department of Health Sciences, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quirino
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Department of Health Sciences, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Giorgio S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Barreca
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Department of Health Sciences, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marascio
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Baudi
authors.affiliation: Operational Unit of Infectious Diseases, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Benedetto
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Caroleo
authors.affiliation: Operational Unit of Infectious Diseases, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Orietta
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Staltari
authors.affiliation: Institute of Microbiology, Department of Health Sciences, 'Magna Graecia' University, Catanzaro, Italy.
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Focà
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001474:Bartonella Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007121:Immunocompetence; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D013158:Splenic Diseases / Q000382:microbiology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004269:DNA, Bacterial