Bartonella data

Serology remains the most frequently used laboratory technique for the diagnosis of bartonella infections.

The Health Protection Agency's Respiratory and Systemic Infection Laboratory (RSIL) currently provides serodiagnostic testing for bartonellosis in the UK. See here for details

Serum samples submitted to the laboratory are examined using an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test to detect the presence of B. henselae and B. quintana IgM and IgG antibodies.

Since 1997, there have been an average of 125 cases diagnosed with current or recent infection each year in the UK, with some year to year variations. The majority of cases are identified in England and Wales.

Recent data are shown in the table.

Table: Number of patients with serological evidence of recent Bartonella infection

Year	All Bartonella infections	Bartonella henselae
2005	60	27
2006	135	34
2007	150	98
2008	89	74

Frequently it is not possible to differentiate with any confidence between B. henselae and B. quintana infections using serology. However, where antibodies are only detected against one species we can tentatively indicate the infecting species; this subset of cases is shown for B henselae in the table.

Last reviewed: 19 May 2010