Bartonella

In this episode, Cassandra Calabrese, DO, dual-boarded in infectious disease and rheumatology, walks us through when to suspect Bartonella (it’s not always a house cat!), how to diagnose and how to treat.

Bartonella is an important mimic of a variety of autoimmune diseases, and it can be subtle. This episode tackles the ways in which this strange organism can present to a rheumatologist.

Bartonella quintana, the bacterial pathogen that caused trench fever among soldiers during World War I, was identified in 15% of people experiencing homelessness during a recent outbreak in Denver, researchers reported.