BARTONELLA

                                      WHAT IS IT?

 

Gram negative bacteria that cause several diseases in humans.

                                      The three most common are;

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                                   (1) (CSD) Cat Scratch Disease, caused by (Bartonella)B.                                             henselae;

                                   (2) Trench fever, caused by (Bartonella)B. quintana;

                                   (3) Carrión's disease, caused by (Bartonella)B. bacilliformis(2) 

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The full clinical spectrum of all Bartonella infections remains to be elucidated, but includes conditions as diverse as hepatitis, endocarditis, encephalopathy and meningoencephalitis. (1) Although it is commonly called a co-infection of Lyme disease, Dr. Burrascano believes it is more common then Borrelia).

 

• At this time there are 26 subspecies of Bartonella (about half of which are known to infect humans.) (1)

• Can be spread by a tick bite, cat scratch, flea bites and congenitally

• Can have acute and/or chronic patterns

• More likely to affect surface membranes, causing skin problems, stria, nodular lumps papules under skin, etc. (Probably involved in Morgellons Disease)

                                           

                                       OTHER SYMPTOMS INCLUDE;

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         Early signs of Bartonellosis include fever, fatigue, headache, poor appetite, blurred vision, numbness in the extremities, memory loss, balance problems, ataxia (unsteady gait), tremors and neurological symptoms especially when dominated by pain.

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• Fatigue like illness, but “Wired-Tired” (often mistaken for CFIDS).

• Joint pains, extremities, large and small (knee, shoulders, hands,etc). Pain will be wandering, seeming to move from joint to joint, switching side to side, and seldom bilateral.

• Gastritis (In the absence of H. Pylori {H. pylori are spiral-shaped bacteria that grow in the digestive tract and have a tendency to attack the stomach lining} must be next diagnostic consideration ).(3)

• Settles in the liver, will compromise liver function, episodically elevating liver enzymes. When liver enzymes are mildly elevated (5-20 on ALT and/or AST) without explanation think Bartonella.

• Lymphadenopathy, swelling of the lymph nodes, often the ones in the neck, but can be in any node depending on individual structure compromise.

• Settles in the spleen, often subtle splenomegaly.