Emerging Infectious Diseases (May 2018)

Bartonella henselae DNA in Seronegative Patients with Cat-Scratch Disease

  • Masashi Yanagihara,
  • Hidehiro Tsuneoka,
  • Ayano Tanimoto,
  • Ken-ichiro Otsuyama,
  • Jun Nishikawa,
  • Tomohiro Matsui,
  • Junzo Nojima,
  • Kiyoshi Ichihara

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3201/eid2405.152033
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 5
pp. 924 – 925

Abstract

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We used real-time PCR to detect Bartonella henselae DNA in 7.9% (5/63) of blood specimens from seronegative patients in Japan suspected of having cat-scratch disease. The combined use of serologic tests and real-time PCR to analyze blood specimens is recommended for the prompt, noninvasive laboratory diagnosis of cat-scratch disease.

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