Bartonella is a bacterium that causes illness, the most commonly known of which is a disease called “Cat Scratch Fever.” Thousands of known cases of Bartonella occur in the U.S. each Year, with the vast majority of known cases due to bites from fleas that infest cats or infected dogs (may also occur directly from bites and scratches from infected dogs or cats). Bartonella can also be transmitted by ticks that transmit Lyme Disease. In fact, in a study published recently, deer ticks from New Jersey had a higher prevalence of Bartonella organisms than of Lyme organisms. (1)
It is unclear whether the organism that we see transmitted along with Lyme disease is actually a Bartonella species (such as B. henselae or B. quintana) or is “Bartonella-Like Organism” (BLO) that is yet to be fully identified. While BLO has features similar to organisms in the Bartonella family, it also has features slimiar to the Mycoplasma and the Francisella (causes tularemia) families. (1)
It has been said that Bartonella is the most common of all tick-borne pathogens. Indeed, there seems to be a fairly distinct clinical syndrome when this type of organism is present in the chronic Lyme patient. However, several aspect of this infection seem to indicate that this tick-associated strain of Bartonella is different from that described as “cat scratch disease”. For example, in patients who fit the clinical picture, standard Bartonella blood testing in commonly non-reactive. Furthermore, the usual Bartonella medications do not work for this- they suppress the symptoms but do not permanently clear them. For these reasons I (Dr Burrascano) like to refer to this as a “Bartonella-like organism” (BLO), rather than assume it is a more common species. (2)
Incidentally, animal studies show that Bartonella may be transmitted across the placenta. No human studies have been done. (2)
Bartonellosis is often mild but in serious cases it can affect the whole body. Early signs are fever, fatigue, headache, poor appetite, and an unusual, streaked rash. Swollen glands are typical, especially around the head, neck and arms. Burrascano suspects bartonellosis when neurologic symptoms are out of proportion to the other systemic symptoms of chronic Lyme. He also notes gastritis, lower abdominal pain, sore soles, and tender subcutaneous nodules along the extremities. Lymph nodes may be enlarged and the throat can be sore. (3)
Bartonella are bacteria that live inside cells; they can infect humans, mammals, and a wide range of wild animals. Not all Bartonella species cause disease in humans. Bartonella henselae causes an important emerging infection first reported in 1990 and described as a new species in 1992. It is mainly carried by cats and causes cat-scratch disease, endocarditis, and several other serious diseases in humans. (3)
Bartonella bacteria are known to be carried by fleas, body lice and ticks. Scientists suspect that ticks are a source of infection in some human cases of bartonellosis. People with tick bites and no known exposure to cats have acquired the disease. People who recall being bitten by ticks have been co-infected with Lyme and Bartonella. More research needs to be done to establish the role of ticks in spreading the disease. (3)
Babesia and Bartonella are not little addendums to Lyme disease, but are often far more serious than Lyme disease. Any physician who is not well-versed in these two killing infections perhaps should not be considered competent enough to treat patients with flea and tick infections. These infections do not circle around planet “Lyme” like small moons, instead, they are their own huge planets that cause massive consequences to the human body. (4)
In my experience (Dr. Schaller), Bartonella is profoundly agitating and causes all possible psychiatric troubles. Some patients feel like they have gasoline in their veins and are highly reactive and grossly sensitive. I also believe Babesia and Lyme disease, to a lesser extent, can also cause very diverse psychiatric troubles. (5)
It is important to realize that Bartonella is not rare. It is all over the world and only those living in the polar ice caps are immune to the risk of infection. I (Dr. Schaller) personally believe based on newer and more aggressive testing that it is more common than Lyme disease. Many are falsely diagnosed with Babesia because they are tired and fatigued, and yet this is a highly common symptom of Bartonella reported in vast numbers of studies. It is a major contributing infection to chronic fatigue and Fibromyalgia symptom clusters. (6)
You should appreciate that it is unlikely you will ever be cured of Lyme in the presence of Bartonella. Why? Bartonella is a massive immune suppressing bacteria. It can float attached to Red Blood Cells in vast numbers and not even cause a cold or fever. Just imagine, bacteria are floating in your blood and you might not have any fever at all! If you had Staph or Strep in your blood at these levels you would likely be dead in 48 hours unless you were pumped full of antibiotics in an ICU. So how is it this huge elephant floats in vast numbers and causes no severe fever and no disastrous signs of deadly sepsis—infected blood throughout the body with massive inflammation. It is because it has ways of shutting down the immune system. It violates many rules of bacteria behavior and this is one reason it has been so seriously missed until recent years. (6)
Treatments include-
ceftin, ciprofloxacin, mycobutin, levaqin, septra, doxycycline, omnicet, cumanda, clove bud oil, houttuynia, banderol
Symptoms-
ice pick like headaches
photophobia
anxiety
reflex sympathetic dystorphy
cardiac problems
gut problems
plantar fascial pain
burning pain
night sweats
weight loss
neurological symptoms
foot pain, sore soles
enlarged lymph nodes
rash that looks like red or purple stretch marks PHOTOS
cold hands and feet
intestinal infection
blood thinkening
sore throat
agitation
insomnia
confusion
lower abdominal pain
Related Posts-
BABESIA
1. http://flash.lymenet.org/scripts/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=062704;p=0
2. http://www.lymediseaseresource.com/BurrGuide2008.pdf
3. http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme101/coinfections/bartonella.html
4. http://lymeinfo.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/ignore-bartonella-stay-ill-lose-a-relationship-job-or-hurt-an-organ-part-1/
5. http://www.personalconsult.com/articles/violenceandlyme.html
6. http://74.125.155.132/custom?q=cache:4mhxB9XO9igJ:www.personalconsult.com/bartonella/bartonellaignored.doc+Bartonella&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=google-coop-np