The seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae in healthy adults in Korea

• Published in: The Korean journal of internal medicine Vol. 32; no. 3; pp. 530 - 535
• Main Authors: Kwon, Hea Yoon, Im, Jae Hyoung, Lee, Sun Myoung, Baek, Ji Hyeon, Durey, Areum, Park, Shin-Goo, Kang, Jae-Seung, Lee, Jin-Soo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) The Korean Association of Internal Medicine 01.05.2017; 대한내과학회
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Bartonella henselae - immunology; Cat-Scratch Disease - epidemiology; Cats; Dogs; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Republic of Korea - epidemiology; Risk Factors; Seroepidemiologic Studies; Young Adult; 내과학; Seroepidemiologic studies; Bartonella henselae; Cat-scratch disease; Korea
• ISSN: 1226-3303; 2005-6648
• DOI: 10.3904/kjim.2016.010

Cat-scratch disease (CSD), caused by is one of the most common zoonosis. However, only several cases of infection have been reported in Korea. This study investigated the seroprevalence of in healthy adults and related risk factors. Serum samples from 300 healthy participants were analyzed using an immunoglobulin G immunof luorescence assay (IFA) for isolated in Korea. Surveys on the risk factors for infection were conducted simultaneously. Of the participants, 47.7% and 15.0% raised dogs and cats, respectively. The overall seroprevalence of was 15.0% (IFA titer ≥ 1:64). Participants who had raised cats showed 22.2% seropositivity against , and those with no experience with cats showed 13.7% seroprevalence ( = 0.17). Participants who had cats as pets or been scratched by cats, showed 9.8% seropositivity against (IFA titer ≥ 1:256). However, those who had not raised or been scratched by a cat showed 2.0% seropositivity ( = 0.015). In Korea, the seroprevalence of is higher than expected, suggesting that infection due to is not uncommon. Cats are proposed to play a more important role than dogs in transmission of CSD.