[GASTROINTESTINAL INVOLVEMENT IN HUMAN BARTONELLOSIS]

We present a prospective study of 68 patients with the acute phase of human bartonellosis, admitted to Cayetano Heredia National Hospital.Gastrointestinal symptoms were reported as follows: abdominal pain 46,3%, coluria 44,4%, vomiting 40,3%, jaundice 38,5%, diarrhea 29,9%, constipation 8,9%. The more common signs were pallor 97%, hepatomegaly 82%, fever 79,1%, malnutrition 75,2%, systolic heart murmur 77,9%, jaundice 71,6%, lymph node enlargement 70,1%.Signs observed during the hospital course were 29,4% lower extremities edema, 22,6% myalgia, 16,4% pericardial effusion, 16,4% generalized edema. The more common gastrointestinal signs were hepatomegaly 82%(52/68), jaundice 71,6% (48/68) and splenomegaly 29,4%(20/68).The -lower liver border was found between 1 to 4 below the lower rib border in 71,6%(48/67) and below 5 cm b. l. r. b. in 11,9%(8/67).60% had abnormal liver function tests, 54,6% had mainly direct bilirrubin elevationand 45,4% mainly indirect.SGOT was elevated in 28,5% and SGPT in 25%, 28,3% had elevated alkaline phosphatase. The bilirrubin media was 3,5 mg/dI (range 0,6-21), the indirect bilirrubin media was 1,6 mg/dI (range 0,5-11,5), the direct bilirrubin media was 1,9 mg/dI (range 0,3-18), The SGOT media 73,9 U/L (range 9-1250), SGPT media 65,5U/L (range 6-1596). Alkaline phosphatase 5,9 mui/ml (range 3-497). Albumin media 3,09 (range 2-4,2).Patients with bacterial coinfection (salmonella, staphilococcus, enterobacter, shigella) had a higher increase in bilirrubin and transaminases.Three patients had liver biopsies, two revealed Küpffer cells hyperplasia (moderate to severe), one revealed intracellular hyperplasia, one patient coinfected with diseminated hystoplasmosis had granulomas in the liver.Mortality(8,8%) was associated to hepatocellular involvement (SGOT media 330U/L, SGPT media 207 U/L, alkaline phosphatase media 183 mui/ml), hypoalbuminemia media = 2,4 gr/1) and generalized edema.