Use

This test is useful for the diagnosis of Bartonella infection, especially in the context of a cat scratch. Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana are small, rod-shaped, pleomorphic, gram-negative bacteria. The human body louse is the proposed vector for B. quintana, with no animal reservoir determined. The domestic cat is believed to be both a reservoir and vector for B. henselae. Cats may infect humans directly through scratches, bites, or licks, or indirectly through an arthropod vector. Bartonella lesions typically appear as aggregates that proliferate rapidly, with significant disease symptoms in humans.