A CHEMICALLY-DEFINED LIQUID-MEDIUM THAT SUPPORTS PRIMARY ISOLATION OFROCHALIMAEA (BARTONELLA) HENSELAE FROM BLOOD AND TISSUE SPECIMENS

Rochalimaea (Bartonella) henselae is a fastidious, slowly growing, gra m-negative bacillus that is an etiologic agent of bacillary angiomatos is, cat scratch disease, and related syndromes. Accumulation of direct microbiologic evidence of the relationship between the organism and t he syndromes compatible with cat scratch disease has been hindered by the difficulties in the primary isolation of the organism from infecte d tissue specimens. A chemically defined liquid medium was developed t o support the growth of Rochalimaea species to facilitate study of the organism. This medium was also used successfully to isolate R. hensel ae from clinical specimens from infected patients and a domestic cat. Recovery of R. henselae in this was more successful than when recovery was attempted on solid agar. This cell-free, extract-free, defined me dium additionally supported the growth of Rochalimaea quintana and Afi pia felis.