Seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae in patients with uveitis and healthy individuals in Tokyo.

Purpose: To compare the seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae, a pathogen of cat scratch disease, in patients with uveitis and in healthy individuals.

Methods: Serum samples were collected from 197 consecutive patients with various entities of uveitis at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital, and from 83 healthy age- and sex-matched volunteers. Anti-Bartonella IgG and IgM antibodies were examined by indirect immunofluorescent antibody.

Results: Serum antibodies to B. henselae were positive in 39 of 197 (19.8%) patients with uveitis, and in 21 of 83 (25.3%) of the healthy volunteers. There was no statistical difference in the seroprevalence between the two groups. The overall seroprevalence of B. henselae was 60 of 280 (21.4%).

Conclusions: The seroprevalence of B. henselae was similar in both patients with uveitis and in healthy volunteers in Tokyo, Japan. These data indicate that a significant number of healthy individuals are asymptomatic carriers of B. henselae, which should be kept in mind when a diagnosis of cat scratch disease is made.