Detection of Bartonella henselae in the blood of 2 adult horses.
Authors: Jones S L, Maggi R, Shuler J, Alward A, Breitschwerdt E B
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary: Bartonella henselae in Equine Patients Bartonella species are zoonotic pathogens with an expanding host range across domestic and wild animals, yet their presence in horses remained undocumented until this investigation. Jones and colleagues employed molecular diagnostic techniques to detect and identify Bartonella henselae in the blood samples of two adult horses, representing the first documented cases of this infection in equine patients. The successful detection using PCR and culture methodologies confirmed that horses are susceptible to infection with an organism previously associated with cats, rodents, canids, and marine mammals. Clinically, the significance lies in recognising Bartonella as a potential differential diagnosis in horses presenting with compatible clinical syndromes, whilst also acknowledging the zoonotic risk to handlers and veterinary professionals—particularly given B. henselae's established ability to cause cat-scratch disease in humans. Future work examining the prevalence of Bartonella infection in equine populations, its epidemiological patterns, and the clinical manifestations it produces is warranted to establish this organism's true relevance in equine medicine and to inform appropriate biosecurity protocols for personnel working with infected animals.
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Practical Takeaways
- •Bartonella henselae should be considered as a potential pathogen in horses with unexplained clinical signs, particularly those with exposure to infected cats or other reservoir species
- •Practitioners should be aware of zoonotic risk when handling infected horses and implement appropriate biosecurity measures
- •Further investigation is needed to determine clinical significance and prevalence of Bartonella infection in equine populations
Key Findings
- •Bartonella henselae was detected in the blood of 2 adult horses, representing the first reported cases in the equine species
- •Bartonella spp. are emerging zoonotic agents previously identified in cats, rodents, porpoises, and canids but not in horses
- •The detection expands the known host range of Bartonella henselae to include equines