الفهرس 
Introduction
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Abstract
This study was performed to report the epidemiology of Bartonella henselae in cats and humans by detection of B. henselae in the blood,saliva, andclaw of cat, as well as identification of B. henselae by PCR in selected blood samples of cats. Detection of B. henselaeIgG antibodies in human sera was performed by using indirect immunofluoresence assay (IFA).
• Cats
In this study, sampleswere collected from 75 cats(31house hold cats,39 pet shops cats, and 5 stray cats)from Asyut Governorate, of both males (33) and females (42). Age of these cats ranged from 3months to 4 years. Three samples were collected from each cat includingblood, saliva and claw.
Samples were cultured on BHI agar containing 5% sheep blood and incubated under anaerobic condition contained 5% CO2 for 7 days. We could not succeed to culture B.henselae from the examined samples.
Giemsia stain was used for detection of Bartonella spp. in the blood samples of cats, and 37.3% of the examined blood samples were positive to Giemsa stain and showed intraerythrocytic invasion of Bartonella spp. that was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy.
In this study, molecular identification ofB. henselae in blood sample of cats was performed. Thirty three selected blood sampleswere examined and 6 (18.2%) blood samples were positive to B. henselae.
Concerning the correlation between Giemsa results and PCR resultsof examined blood samples of cats, our results reported that 3 samples (9.1 %) out of 33 PCR- examined blood samples of cats were Giemsa positive and PCR positive.
• Human
A total number of 100 samples including cats`owner (37) and peoples who had a previous history of contact with cats (63) were examined. The age of people ranged from 10 to more than 40 years old, from urban (61) and rural (39), and including females (88) and males (12).
In this study, indirect immunofluorescence assay was used for detection of B. henselae infection in human serum samples. The seroprevalence rate of Bartonella spp. was 46% (4% to B. henselae, 42% to B. henselae and B. quintana).
The seroprevalence rate of B. henselae was higher in female (46.6%)than males (41.7%), although the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.748). According to age, the highest seroprevalence rate (60%) of B. henselae in this study was detected in the age group (21-30 years old), followed by seroprevalence rate (44.4%) among age group (31-40 years old). The lowest seroprevalence rate (12.5%) was observed among age group (10-20 years old). There is no detection to B. henselae in people aged more than 40 years.The differences between age groups were significant (P=0.001).
According to residence, the seroprevalence rate of B. henselae in this study was higher in rural regions (79.5%) than urban regions (24.6%)and the difference was significant (P=0.000). Moreover, in this study, the seroprevalence rate of B. henselae was higher among cat owners (51.4%) than peoples who had a previous history of contact with cats (42.9%), although the difference was not significant (P=0.410).