Abbott R C, Chomel B B, Kasten R W, Floyd-Hawkins K A, Kikuchi Y, Koehler J E, Pedersen N C
Department of Population Health and Reproduction, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis. 1997 Jan;20(1):41-51. doi: 10.1016/s0147-9571(96)00025-2.
Domestic cats were experimentally infected with culture propagated Bartonella henselae by intradermal (i.d.) and intravenous (i.v.) routes. Cats were more efficiently infected by the i.d. (8/8 cats) than by the i.v. (2/16) route. Bacteremia was detected 1-3 weeks following inoculation and lasted for most cats for 1-8 months. However, one naturally infected cat was observed for 24 months and was found to be cyclically bacteremic, with bacterial levels varying one hundred fold or more from one period to another. No clinical or hematologic abnormalities were observed in any of the infected cats, even at the peak of bacteremia. Two cats that had become abacteremic were resistant to reinfection when inoculated with B. henselae a second time. Horizontal transmission through intimate contact between bacteremic and susceptible cats did not occur, and antibody positive bacteremic queens did not transmit the infection to their kittens in utero, peri-partum or post-partum. Only four of the 18 kittens acquired detectable levels of maternal antibody following nursing, which disappeared by 6 weeks of age. These studies indicate that B. henselae exists in an almost perfect host-parasite relationship with its feline host, but that most cats can ultimately rid themselves of the infection. The susceptibility of cats to intradermal infection and the lack of direct cat-cat transmission are compatible with possible arthropod vectors.
通过皮内(i.d.)和静脉内(i.v.)途径,用培养繁殖的汉赛巴尔通体对家猫进行实验性感染。与静脉内途径(2/16只猫)相比,皮内途径(8/8只猫)能更有效地使猫感染。接种后1至3周检测到菌血症,大多数猫的菌血症持续1至8个月。然而,观察到一只自然感染的猫长达24个月,发现其菌血症呈周期性,不同时期细菌水平相差100倍或更多。即使在菌血症高峰期,任何感染的猫均未观察到临床或血液学异常。两只已无菌血症的猫再次接种汉赛巴尔通体时对再感染具有抵抗力。菌血症猫与易感猫之间通过密切接触未发生水平传播,抗体阳性的菌血症母猫在子宫内、围产期或产后均未将感染传播给其小猫。18只小猫中只有4只在哺乳后获得了可检测水平的母源抗体,这些抗体在6周龄时消失。这些研究表明,汉赛巴尔通体与其猫宿主之间存在几乎完美的宿主 - 寄生虫关系,但大多数猫最终能够清除感染。猫对皮内感染的易感性以及缺乏猫 - 猫直接传播与可能存在节肢动物媒介相符。