Re: Babies: Cats

Jim, 
Technically Bartonellosis refers originally to Oroya fever in the Andes
Mtns from a bacterium, Bartonella bacilliformis, carried by sand flies. 
"Characterized by a form of red blood cell deficiency (hemolytic anemia)
and fever, the potentially fatal acute form is called Oroya fever or
Carrion's disease. The chronic form is identified by painful skin lesions."
However the Bartonella genus has 11 species, and often simply the name
Bartonellosis covers them all.

Cats can be infected with one (I think it is B. henselae) via flea bites. 
When they scratch a human being it is possible to transmit Cat Scratch
Fever.  It can be mild or very troublesome, with similar symptoms as the
chronic form of the above. They can pass it among each other via scratching
or sometimes even licking.

I probably carry the bacterium just as my cat did, but with no symtoms, no
problems.  Most of what can be found about the disease has to do with a
fear for humans catching it and what to do about it.  But Jack (cat)
actually has had symptoms for years and I never realized it. It causes him
to vomit and his gums to be swolen.  He has not vomited once since starting
the medication, but prior to that it was getting more and more frequent, a
few times a week.  Another symptom is diarrhea, which he doesn't seem to
have, but Seamus (another cat) does.  The vet treated him for Song Bird
Fever last year, assuming that to be the problem becuase of his eating
habits, but the diarrhea din't go away. It comes and goes. He gets tested
next week, I'm betting this is the real culprit.

Well, probably much more than you wanted to know. 

Kitty


> [Original Message]
> From: James R. Fisher <garrideb@well.com>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Date: 3/29/2003 8:20:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [CHAT]Babies: Cats
>
> Kitty wrote:
>
> > getting that at $100 each and now they're also able to test for
> > Bartonellosis. I've only had Jack tested so far, but he was +, so I
> > began treatment. He's already quite improved, tho he hates the medicine.
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> What's Bartonellosis, please ? Never heard of it...
> -jrf
> -- 
> Jim Fisher
> Vienna, Virginia USA
> 38.9 N 77.2 W
> USDA Zone 7
> Max. 105 F [40 C], Min. 5 F [-15 C]
>
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