Bartonella bacteria can cause a disease called bartonellosis. In the United States its most common form is cat scratch disease.
How people get it
Bartonella are spread to people mainly by vectors — fleas, human body lice and sand flies — or by contact with animals that have fleas. Rarely, they are passed on through organ transplants.
There is no evidence that ticks spread Bartonella to people. One laboratory study found the bacteria passed from ticks to animals, but more research is needed to know whether that happens in nature.
Three species that cause disease
More than 20 species of Bartonella are known, but not all of them cause bartonellosis. Three that do:
| Species | Disease | Vector | How it spreads | Where | Highest risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bartonella henselae | cat scratch disease | fleas | the scratch of a domestic or feral cat infected by fleas | worldwide | people who handle cats with fleas |
| Bartonella quintana | — | human body lice | the lice's feces; body lice pass from person to person through close contact or shared clothing and bedding | worldwide | people with body lice; people experiencing homelessness; people in crowded conditions with little access to laundry and showers |
| Bartonella bacilliformis | South American bartonellosis | sand flies | bites from infected sand flies | parts of South America | people living in the Andes mountains |
Sources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "About Bartonella." https://www.cdc.gov/bartonella/about/index.html
- Rewritten in hubnx's own words.
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