Korean J Intern Med.  2017 May;32(3):530-535. 10.3904/kjim.2016.010.

The seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae in healthy adults in Korea

• Kwon HY
• Im JH
• Lee SM
• Baek JH
• Durey A
• Park SG
• Kang JS
• Lee JS

• KMID: 2379484
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2016.010

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Cat-scratch disease (CSD), caused by Bartonella henselae is one of the most common zoonosis. However, only several cases of B. henselae infection have been reported in Korea. This study investigated the seroprevalence of B. henselae in healthy adults and related risk factors.
METHODS
Serum samples from 300 healthy participants were analyzed using an immunoglobulin G immunof luorescence assay (IFA) for B. henselae isolated in Korea. Surveys on the risk factors for B. henselae infection were conducted simultaneously.
RESULTS
Of the participants, 47.7% and 15.0% raised dogs and cats, respectively. The overall seroprevalence of B. henselae was 15.0% (IFA titer ≥ 1:64). Participants who had raised cats showed 22.2% seropositivity against B. henselae, and those with no experience with cats showed 13.7% seroprevalence (p = 0.17). Participants who had cats as pets or been scratched by cats, showed 9.8% seropositivity against B. henselae (IFA titer ≥ 1:256). However, those who had not raised or been scratched by a cat showed 2.0% seropositivity (p = 0.015).
CONCLUSIONS
In Korea, the seroprevalence of B. henselae is higher than expected, suggesting that Bartonella infection due to B. henselae is not uncommon. Cats are proposed to play a more important role than dogs in transmission of CSD.

Keyword

Bartonella henselae; Seroepidemiologic studies; Korea; Cat-scratch disease

MeSH Terms

Adult*
Animals
Bartonella henselae*
Bartonella Infections
Bartonella*
Cat-Scratch Disease
Cats
Dogs
Healthy Volunteers
Humans
Immunoglobulin G
Korea*
Risk Factors
Seroepidemiologic Studies*
Immunoglobulin G