A Serological Investigation of Bartonella henselae Infection in Cats in Turkey

Abstract

Bartonella henselae is the causative agent of cat scratch disease (CSD) in humans. Cats are the main reservoir of this bacterium and may infect humans through scratches and bites. The purpose of this study is to determine the B. henselae seroprevalence in cats in Turkey. A total of 298 cats blood samples were collected from six different provinces of Turkey. Sera was tested for the presence of anti-B. henselae IgG antibodies by indirect fluorescent antibody test (IFA). Seroprevalence of B. henselae was detected in 27.8% (83/298) of cats examined. The seroprevalence of cats by province was significantly higher in Bursa (41.3%), Adana (33.9%), Aydin (32.9%), and Burdur (27.5%) than Kayseri (17.9%) and Istanbul (12.5%). Statistically significant differences were not observed between cat sexes and living condition of cats. The results revealed that B. henselae is an important zoonotic pathogen in Turkey.