First report of Bartonella henselae infection in a cat in North Macedonia

Abstract

The genus <jats:italic>Bartonella</jats:italic> are fastidious, Gram-negative intracellular vector-borne bacteria with zoonotic potential. Cats have a crucial epidemiological role in the transmission of <jats:italic>Bartonella henselae</jats:italic>, the primary causal agent of cat-scratch disease in humans. Here we describe the first report of <jats:italic>B. henselae</jats:italic> infection in a cat in North Macedonia after a suspected <jats:italic>Bartonella</jats:italic> infection in a 7-year-old boy. A combination of cultural and molecular methods for detecting <jats:italic>B. henselae</jats:italic> in the asymptomatic cat was used. A blood sample was cultured on a blood agar plate, where colonies became visible after nine days of incubation. The DNA of a single colony was extracted, and the isolate was confirmed as <jats:italic>B. henselae</jats:italic> by sequencing the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene and performing a <jats:italic>Bartonella</jats:italic> - specific PCR. The phylogenetic analysis demonstrated 100% similarity with <jats:italic>B. henselae</jats:italic> sequences, clustering on a single branch and establishing a distinct group. This finding indicates that <jats:italic>B. henselae</jats:italic> infection in cats circulates in North Macedonia and may affect feline and human health.