In Pursuit of a Stealth Pathogen: Laboratory Diagnosis of Bartonellosis

This article provides an overview of diseases caused by members of the genus Bartonella and the mechanisms of pathogenesis. The laboratory diagnosis of bartonellosis relies on three primary methods. This article examines the evolution of culture techniques, serology, and nucleic acid amplification tests used to detect Bartonella spp. in clinical specimens and suggests areas for future research to improve laboratory diagnostics. In this way, a better understanding of the epidemiology of bartonellosis can be achieved.

Source: Clinical Microbiology Newsletter - February 21, 2014 Category: Microbiology Authors: Leslie A. Wolf, Natalie A. Cherry, Ricardo G. Maggi, Edward B. Breitschwerdt Source Type: news