Disease relevance of Bartonella

• Bartonella (formerly Rochalimaea) quintana is the etiological agent of trench fever, a disease extensively reported during the World Wars [1].
• Role of dendritic cell-derived CXCL13 in the pathogenesis of Bartonella henselae B-rich granuloma [2].
• Using polymerase chain reaction and sequencing, we investigated the prevalence of Rickettsia prowazekii, Bartonella quintana, and Borrelia recurrentis in 841 body lice collected from various countries [3].
• The prevalences of Bartonella, Rickettsia, and Wolbachia were investigated in 309 cat fleas from France by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and sequencing with primers derived from the gltA gene for Rickettsia, the its and pap31 genes for Bartonella, and the 16S rRNA gene for Anaplasmataceae [4].
• Telithromycin was more active than erythromycin against Rickettsia, Bartonella, and Coxiella burnetii, with MICs of 0.5 microg/ml, 0.003 to 0.015 microg/ml, and 1 microg/ml, respectively, but was inactive against Ehrlichia chaffeensis [5].

High impact information on Bartonella

• The presence of bartonella in tissue was assessed by Gram's staining, immunostaining, and polymerase-chain-reaction amplification [6].
• Structure and biological activity of the short-chain lipopolysaccharide from Bartonella henselae ATCC 49882T [7].
• Infectious angiogenesis: Bartonella bacilliformis infection results in endothelial production of angiopoetin-2 and epidermal production of vascular endothelial growth factor [8].
• One such clone, containing a ygdP promoter and an open reading frame (ORF), showed significant homology to Bartonella bacilliformis IalA (invasion associated locus) [9].
• Positive PCR results were confirmed by using the Lightcycler and specific primers for the rOmpB of Rickettsia and gltA of Bartonella [4].

Chemical compound and disease context of Bartonella

• Immunologic screening of a Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii genomic expression library with anti-Bartonella antibodies led to the identification of the sucB gene, which encodes the enzyme dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase [10].
• Antiangiogenic effect of erythromycin: an in vitro model of Bartonella quintana infection [11].
• We isolated and characterized mutants of Bartonella bacilliformis that are resistant to the fluoroquinolone antibiotic ciprofloxacin, which targets the A subunit of DNA gyrase [12].
• All of the macrolide agents tested were readily active against all three Bartonella organisms, and azithromycin, clarithromycin, and roxithromycin may have potential in the treatment of Rickettsia infections [13].
• The in vitro susceptibilities of Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae, B. quintana, B. elizabethae, Rickettsia akari, R. conorii, R. prowazekii, and R. rickettsii to different concentrations of azithromycin, clarithromycin, dirithromycin, erythromycin, and roxithromycin in Vero cell cultures were evaluated [13].

Biological context of Bartonella

• Transcriptional activation of the htrA (High-temperature requirement A) gene from Bartonella henselae [14].
• Bartonella henselae-specific cell-mediated immune responses display a predominantly Th1 phenotype in experimentally infected C57BL/6 mice [15].
• Study of genotypes and virB4 secretion gene of Bartonella henselae strains from patients with clinically defined cat scratch disease [16].
• Nucleotide base sequence data were obtained for a 940-bp fragment of the citrate synthase-encoding gene (gltA) of representatives of the eight validly described Bartonella species and seven uncharacterized Bartonella strains obtained from small mammals [17].
• A library of Bartonella (Rochalimaea) henselae DNA was constructed in the cloning vector lambda ZAPII and screened for expression of antigenic proteins by using a pool of sera from patients who had been diagnosed with cat scratch disease (CSD) and had antibodies to Bartonella spp., as determined by indirect fluorescent-antibody (IFA) assay [18].

Anatomical context of Bartonella

• The diagnosis was established by detection of IgG antibodies to Bartonella henselae in serum and histologic examination of a lymph node including a positive polymerase chain reaction test [19].
• A factor capable of deforming erythrocyte membranes, found in the culture supernatants of Bartonella bacilliformis, was purified 1840-fold using hydrophobic, ion exchange and gel exclusion chromatography [20].
• The delayed apoptotic process of leukocytes and the chemokine increase may explain the apoptotic cells found in the rat gut and the inflammatory reactions in some human Bartonella diseases [21].
• The sequencing of Bartonella pap31 and groEL genes from the dental pulp of cats dating from the 13th to 16th centuries identified the presence of B. henselae genotype Houston; the observation of a unique mutation in the results of PCR assays for Bartonella species ruled out modern DNA contamination of the dental pulp samples [22].

Gene context of Bartonella

• Activation of SAPK/JNK-1 and 2, and p38 MAPKs in signalling pathways, was also detected during infection with Bartonella, as was increased binding activity of AP-1 transcription factor [23].
• Use of rpoB gene analysis for detection and identification of Bartonella species [24].
• Molecular analysis of riboflavin synthesis genes in Bartonella henselae and use of the ribC gene for differentiation of Bartonella species by PCR [25].
• The groEL genes of both Bartonella species were amplified, sequenced and compared to other known groEL genes [26].
• Oligonucleotide primers which permit the amplification of an ftsZ fragment from each of the Bartonella species without amplifying DNA from the other two species were designed [27].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Bartonella

• Analysis of fatty acids of the genus Rochalimaea by electron capture gas chromatography: detection of nonanoic acid [28].
• Following the coyote bite of a child who developed clinical signs compatible with Bartonella infection in Santa Clara County, Calif., this epidemiological study was conducted [29].
• Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of cross-reacting antigens and showed antibody patterns in all sera to be compatible with a Bartonella infection [30].
• Serologic studies and analysis of resected valve by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction established the diagnosis of Bartonella henselae endocarditis [31].
• High seroprevalence to Bartonella quintana in homeless patients with cutaneous parasitic infestations in downtown Paris [32].

References