Diagnostic Considerations

Cat scratch disease: Consider other causes of enlarged lymph nodes, such as localized infections with regional node swelling and systemic diseases. Examples include lymphoma, leukemia, other neoplasms, fungal infection, tularemia, tuberculosis, plague, lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV), AIDS, toxoplasmosis, and viral infection such as Ebstein-Barr virus infection and syphilis.

Bacteremia and systemic illnesses: Culture-negative endocarditis is always difficult to diagnose. Consider this diagnosis when the Duke criteria for endocarditis are present with negative findings on routine blood cultures. If bartonellosis is suspected, obtain antibody titers for B henselae and B quintana. Other causes of culture-negative endocarditis that merit consideration include Q fever, HACEK group infections (Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Cardiobacterium hominis, Eikenella corrodens,Kingella kingae), brucellosis, Tropheryma whipplei and Granulicatella spp (formerly known as nutritionally variant streptococci).

Bacillary angiomatosis: These lesions are often dark purple and resemble Kaposi sarcoma, pyogenic granuloma, or verruga peruana.

Oroya fever and verruga peruana: Febrile patients who have returned from travel to a developing country mandate consideration of a rather large number of possible illnesses depending on the itinerary, activities, and potential for exposures. Serious illnesses to consider include dengue fever, malaria, tuberculosis, and babesiosis.

Differential Diagnoses

Workup

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Author

Kassem A Hammoud, MD Associate Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Kansas Medical Center

Kassem A Hammoud, MD is a member of the following medical societies: Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Coauthor(s)

Daniel R Hinthorn, MD, FACP Vice Chair of Internal Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine, Pediatrics (Hon), and Family Medicine (Hon), Director, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of Kansas Medical Center

Daniel R Hinthorn, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, International Society for Antiviral Research, Kansas Medical Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Brian Edwards, MD Consulting Staff, Department of Infectious Diseases, Cotton O'Neil Clinic

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Specialty Editor Board

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Received salary from Medscape for employment. for: Medscape.

Joseph F John, Jr, MD, FACP, FIDSA, FSHEA Clinical Professor of Medicine, Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Medical University of South Carolina College of Medicine; Associate Chief of Staff for Education, Ralph H Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Joseph F John, Jr, MD, FACP, FIDSA, FSHEA is a member of the following medical societies: Charleston County Medical Association, Infectious Diseases Society of America, South Carolina Infectious Diseases Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Pranatharthi Haran Chandrasekar, MBBS, MD Professor, Chief of Infectious Disease, Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Pranatharthi Haran Chandrasekar, MBBS, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American College of Physicians, American Society for Microbiology, International Immunocompromised Host Society, Infectious Diseases Society of America

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Additional Contributors

Larry I Lutwick, MD, FACP Editor-in-Chief, ID Cases; Moderator, Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases; Adjunct Professor of Medicine, State University of New York Downstate College of Medicine

Larry I Lutwick, MD, FACP is a member of the following medical societies: American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, American College of Physicians, American Federation for Clinical Research, American Society for Microbiology, Infectious Diseases Society of America, Infectious Diseases Society of New York, International Society for Infectious Diseases, New York Academy of Sciences, Veterans Affairs Society of Practitioners in Infectious Diseases

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Sections Bartonellosis (Bartonella Infection)
Overview
Presentation
- History
- Physical
- Causes
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DDx
Workup
Treatment
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Bartonellosis (Bartonella Infection) Differential Diagnoses

Diagnostic Considerations

Differential Diagnoses

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