BACKGROUND: Bartonella spp. are neglected fastidious Gram-negative bacilli. We isolated Bartonella henselae from 1.2% of 500 studied blood donors and demonstrated that the bacteria remain viable in red blood cell units after 35 days of experimental infection. Now, we aim to evaluate the possibility of B. henselae transmission by blood transfusion in a mouse model. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Eight BALB/c mice were intraperitoneal inoculated with a 30 µL of suspension with 10(4) CFU/mL of B. henselae and a second group of eight mice were inoculated with saline solution and used as control. After 96 hours of inoculation, the animals were euthanized. We collected blood and tissue samples from skin, liver, and spleen. Thirty microliters of blood from four Bartonella-inoculated animals were transfused into a new group (n = 4). Another group received blood from the control animals. B. henselae infection was investigated by conventional and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Blood samples from all 24 mice were negative by molecular tests though half of the tissue samples were positive by nested PCR in the intraperitoneal Bartonella-investigated animals. Tissues from two of the four mice that received blood transfusions from Bartonella-inoculated animals were also nested PCR positives. CONCLUSIONS: Transmission of B. henselae by transfusion is possible in mice even when donor animals have undetectable bloodstream infection. The impact of human Bartonella sp. transmission through blood transfusion recipients must be evaluated.
BACKGROUND: Bartonella spp. are neglected fastidious Gram-negative bacilli. We isolated Bartonella henselae from 1.2% of 500 studied blood donors and demonstrated that the bacteria remain viable in red blood cell units after 35 days of experimental infection. Now, we aim to evaluate the possibility of B. henselae transmission by blood transfusion in a mouse model. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Eight BALB/c mice were intraperitoneal inoculated with a 30 µL of suspension with 10(4) CFU/mL of B. henselae and a second group of eight mice were inoculated with saline solution and used as control. After 96 hours of inoculation, the animals were euthanized. We collected blood and tissue samples from skin, liver, and spleen. Thirty microliters of blood from four Bartonella-inoculated animals were transfused into a new group (n = 4). Another group received blood from the control animals. B. henselae infection was investigated by conventional and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS: Blood samples from all 24 mice were negative by molecular tests though half of the tissue samples were positive by nested PCR in the intraperitoneal Bartonella-investigated animals. Tissues from two of the four mice that received blood transfusions from Bartonella-inoculated animals were also nested PCR positives. CONCLUSIONS: Transmission of B. henselae by transfusion is possible in mice even when donor animals have undetectable bloodstream infection. The impact of humanBartonella sp. transmission through blood transfusion recipients must be evaluated.
Authors: Georgios Psarros; James Riddell; Tejal Gandhi; Carol A Kauffman; Sandro K Cinti Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Date: 2012-03 Impact factor: 1.889
Authors: R F Magalhães; L H U Pitassi; M Salvadego; A M de Moraes; M L Barjas-Castro; P E N F Velho Journal: Transfus Med Date: 2008-10 Impact factor: 2.019
Authors: Karina de Almeida Lins; Marina Rovani Drummond; Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira Velho Journal: An Bras Dermatol Date: 2019-10-02 Impact factor: 1.896
Authors: Erin Lashnits; Pradeep Neupane; Ricardo G Maggi; Keith E Linder; Julie M Bradley; Nandhakumar Balakrishnan; Brittany L Southern; Gabriel P McKeon; Ramaswamy Chandrashekar; Edward B Breitschwerdt Journal: J Vet Intern Med Date: 2019-12-31 Impact factor: 3.333