BARTONELLA HENSELAE INFECTION IN CATS - EVALUATION DURING PRIMARY INFECTION, TREATMENT, AND RECHALLENGE INFECTION

Bartonella henselae infection was established in eight cats of various ages by experimental inoculation. All cats remained persistently bact eremic until they were treated 4 to 7 weeks after primary inoculation. Antibody titers increased and peaked between 4 and 12 weeks for all c ats. Treatment with doxycycline for 1 week was effective in suppressin g bacteremia in all cats but was effective in clearing infection from only four cats, Amoxicillin, given subsequently, was effective in clea ring the infection from three of the remaining cats. One kitten that r emained bacteremic was treated unsuccessfully with enrofloxacin, and i ts bacteremia was finally cleared when it was treated with a clavulana te-amoxicillin combination. After the bacteremia was cleared, with a c orresponding reduction in serum antibody titers, all eight cats were r echallenged with B. henselae. None of the cats became bacteremic after secondary challenge, and all had higher and more rapid increases in s erum antibody titers than after primary inoculation. The cats became r esistant to reinfection following recovery from infection, indicating that immunoprophylaxis in cats might be beneficial in helping to reduc e their public health risk.