Bartonella is a gram-negative bacteria that can be transmitted from ticks, animals, spiders, mosquitoes, lice, flies, mites, and other insects. Bartonella likes to live inside of cells in the body, especially the cells lining blood vessels. Once inside of cells, bartonella can remain dormant by encapsulating itself in a cyst. This makes it difficult for the immune system to target the infection. Bartonella utilizes many other forms of self-defense to evade the body’s immune system, including inhibiting cellular breakdown to neutralize the infection. Bartonella also gives off various chemicals to confuse the body’s immune system.
Symptoms of Acute Bartonella Infection:
Acute bartonella infections are commonly associated with cat scratches infected with the bacteria Bartonella henselae. Such acute bartonella infections are termed cat scratch fever.
Another form of acute bartonella infection, known for causing trench fever, is called Bartonella quintana. Trench fever may be transmitted by body lice (including head lice), other insects, and some animals (e.g. rats and mice).
Carrion’s disease, caused by Bartonella bacilliformis, is one of the more aggressive presenting bartonella strains transmitted by sandflies. Typically, this strain is found in the areas of South America - Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Without treatment, Bartonella bacilliformis infections can be fatal through the breakdown of red blood cells in the body.
Most bartonella infections share similar acute symptom presentations. Acute bartonella infections can progress to chronic infections, even with standard conventional treatment. Many cases of acute bartonella resolve overtime, but without proper treatment, bartonella can sit dormant inside of cells or persist chronically as an active infection.
Symptoms of Chronic Bartonella Infection:
Chronic bartonella infections can be transmitted from ticks bites, cat scratches, mites, spider bites, fleas, mosquito bites, and other animal/insect bites.
Long-Term Effects of Bartonella Infection:
Bartonella infections can change how the body functions, by altering genetic expression, increasing inflammatory chemicals, changing components of the cardiovascular system, and damaging tissues in the body. Overtime, chronic changes in the body can lead to mutations and cancer.1,2
Treatment for active acute and chronic bartonella infections is essential to prevent cellular damage.
Testing for Bartonella:
Bartonella is challenging to culture from lab specimens, which makes diagnosis difficult. The current knowledge of bartonella species is limited. Most laboratory companies test up to fifteen different strains and are not perfect tests. False negative tests are common.
Dr. Miranda utilizes Cellular Photonics to identify when bartonella is a part of a patient’s symptom picture. Dr. Miranda approaches treatment based on each patient’s individual needs, utilizing alternative and conventional therapies.
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