Bartonella henselae - Research Paper Example

B. Henselae comes from the rickettsiaceae family and has been identified as a gram negative bacterium. The Gimemez staining procedure has served to be the most appropriate method. It is a bacilliform bacterium which has a curved shape along with a length of up to 2 microns and a diameter of up to 0.6 microns. The bacterium possesses the capability of growth outside cells. An interesting characteristic is that the pathologies resulting from the bacterium result mainly in the seasons of autumn and winter.

This is believed to occur due to the breeding season of the cats and owing to the fact that cats are kept inside the house during the cold seasons. This raises the suseptibility of the bacterium to infect the human beings. The severities of the pathological conditions that affect the individuals differ according to the immune status of the patient (Acha et al 2003; Feigin 2004; McCue et al 2007). This paper will serve to analyze the prevalence of the bacterium accompanied with the diseases that result due to the bacterium.

Furthermore, it will highlight the diagnostic techniques that assist in identifying the bacterium along with the appropriate treatment modalities for the pathologies. Body: The epidemiological patterns for B. Henselae are not known for all the diseases. But, Cat Scratch Disease which is the most common pathology occurring due to B. Henselae occurs throughout the world and there is no predisposition for selective geographic areas. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the United States, there are 24000 people who contract the disease every year.

2000 people need to be admitted in the hospital because of the problem. The disease affects the younger age groups more mostly due to the increased contact with the cats. The cats become infected with the bacterium owing to bites by fleas and ticks. It has been analyzed that locations with greater fleas tend to show more cases of cat scratch disease owing to the higher infectivity of cats. Furthermore, it is also seen that a few dogs may also become infected with the bacterium (Fiegin 2004; Yanoff et al 2008).

The bacterium infects the human beings owing to contact with the cats. This has been demonstrated to be true in 90 percent of cases. This may occur due to being bitten by the cat or by being scratched or licked by the cat (McCue 2007). The cat scratch disease that results due to this mainly comprises of pathologies of the lymph nodes associated with raised temperature and lethargy. The first sign is the formation of a papule. The incubation period of the disease is 3 to 5 days. This pathology results mainly in patients who have a competent immune system.

The disease is not very severe but in some cases it may extend to infect other organs owing to the systemic spread of bacterium. The disease may present with serious problems including enlargement of the spleen, inflammation of the liver as well as pneumonia (McCue et al 2007; Wilson et al 2002; Yanoff et al 2008). Bacillary angiomatosis is another pathological condition which results due to the bacterium B. Henselae in which there is the formation of vascular lesions on the skin, lymph nodes, brain and the bones.

These lesions consist of bacteria and this pathological state mainly develops in the patients who suffer from AIDS. This is owing to their low immune competency. If the bacterium enters the circulation, the patients present with