Criteria

Diagnostic criteria for Bartonella henselae infection (adapted from Margileth)[31][52]

Presence of any 3 of the following 4 criteria confirms diagnosis of B henselae infection:

  1. Cat or flea contact regardless of presence of a scratch mark or a lesion at the inoculation site

  2. Negative tuberculin skin test or interferon-gamma release assays, or negative serologies for other causes of adenopathy; sterile pus aspirated from node; positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for B henselae; and/or liver/spleen lesions seen on computed tomography scan

  3. Positive enzyme immunoassay or immunofluorescent antibody assay with a single titer of ≥1:64 or a fourfold rise in titer between acute and convalescent phases

  4. Biopsy showing granulomatous inflammation consistent with cat-scratch disease, or a positive Warthin-Starry silver stain.

Proposed diagnostic criteria for Bartonella endocarditis[53]

One study recommends the presence of one of the following criteria be considered major Duke criteria for Bartonella endocarditis:

  • Positive PCR result from a cardiac valve or blood specimen

  • IgG titer ≥800 (immunofluorescence assay)

  • Positive Western blot assay.

Use of this content is subject to our disclaimer