Kafkas Üniversitesi Veteriner Fakültesi Dergisi 2017 , Vol 23 , Issue 2
A Comparative Study on Detection of Bartonella henselae Infection by Culture Followed by PCR, Nested-PCR and IFA
DIREN SIGIRCI B1, CELIK B1, BASARAN KAHRAMAN B1, GUMUS B1, METINER K1, ADIGUZEL MC1, IKIZ S1, BAGCIGIL AF1, OZGUR NY1, AK S1
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Istanbul University, TR-34320 Avcılar, Istanbul - TURKEY DOI : 10.9775/kvfd.2016.16632 Cats are the main reservoirs of zoonotic Bartonella henselae which are the causative agents of Cat Scratch Disease (CSD). The aim of this study is to compare three diagnostic methods including culture followed by PCR from whole blood, nested-PCR from oral swab and whole blood, and IFA from serum samples. The diagnosis of B. henselae was compared with the bacteriological methods following conventional PCR and by two separate nested PCR from blood, and oral cavity swabs which were collected from 81 pet and stray cats in Istanbul, Turkey. Also the seroprevalence was determined by indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) technique in the same animals. Bartonella spp. was determined in 26 (32%) of the blood samples by culture. Twenty of them were identified as B. henselae and 6 of them were B. clarridgeiae by following conventional PCR assay. Of 81 whole blood samples subjected to PCR, 29 (36%) were positive in the nested reaction. Of these, 20 were identified as B.henselae and 8 were B. clarridgeiae. However, one of the samples was found to be positive for both B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae DNA by the nested reaction. Of 81oral swab samples subjected to PCR, 25 (31%) were positive in the nested reaction. Of these, 19 were identified as B. henselae and 6 were B. clarridgeiae. B.henselae IgG antibody seroprevalence was detected as 67% (54/81). Using the combination of blood and oral samples by Nested-PCR simultaneously may increase the sensitivity of the test. Also, the combination of the blood culture with nested- PCR and serology is likely to give the most definitive information in the diagnosis of bartonellosis in cats. Keywords : Bartonella, Culture, Nested-PCR, IFA, Oral swab