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Seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana Infection and Impact of Related Risk Factors in People from Eastern Slovakia

Authors :
Katarína Petríková
Monika Halánová
Ingrid Babinská
Mariia Logoida
Karin Kaliariková
Peter Jarčuška
Sylvia Dražilová
Vladimíra Sobolová
Martin Janičko
Source :
Pathogens, Vol 10, Iss 10, p 1261 (2021)
Publication Year :
2021
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2021.

Abstract

The genus Bartonella is a rapidly expanding group of ubiquitous bacteria that occur mainly in different animal species, but some can also be transmitted to humans. Three species, B. henselae, B. bacilliformis, and B. quintana, are responsible for the majority of human cases. The severity of the clinical symptoms often depends on the immune status of the patient, but others factors such as the species of the pathogen, virulence factors, and bacterial load also can play an important role. As the information on the occurrence of bartonellosis in the human population in Slovakia is absent, the aim of our pilot study was to determine the seroprevalence against B. henselae and B. quintana in the population of people living in Eastern Slovakia, and to identify the impact of related risk factors. Of 536 people included in the study, 126 (23.5%) showed positivity for anti-B. henselae antibodies and 133 (24.8%) against B. quintana. A statistically higher prevalence was confirmed only in the case of B. quintana in women regardless of the risk group. In analyzing the risk factors, we found significant differences between B. henselae seropositive and seronegative groups only in uric acid levels and serum creatinine, both, however, clinically irrelevant. Significant, but clinically irrelevant differences were observed also in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and creatinine in people seropositive to B. quintana.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20760817
Volume :
10
Issue :
10
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Pathogens
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.7f2370996be349dc86691844890e26cb
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens10101261