[Bartonella infection in hematological practice]

To characterize the clinical and histological features of Bartonella infection in patients asking for hematological advice and to assess the significance of serological and molecular methods for the diagnosis of this infection.

The case histories of 747 patients asking for advice at the Hematology Research Cancer, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, for lymphadenopaphy were retrospectively studied. The study included 10 patients in whom Bartonella infection could be suspected. For verification of the diagnosis, the authors conducted a serological study of the patients' sera and a molecular study of archival paraffined lymph node biopsy specimens.

The study showed it possible to make a retrospective diagnosis of cat-scratch disease (CSD) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) used in the study of archival lymph node biopsy specimens and stained preparations.

CSD should be suspected when a patient has sustained lymphadenopathy and a respective epidemiological history (feline contact). Bartonella infection should be diagnosed on the basis of a dynamic serological study and, if possible, PCR of cells from biopsy specimens of lymph nodes or the lesion developed at the site of Bartonella penetration into the human body (primary affect).