Cryptogenic hepatitis patients have a higher Bartonella sp.-DNA detection in blood and skin samples than patients with non-viral hepatitis of known cause

• Main Authors: Marina Rovani Drummond, Luciene Silva dos Santos, Renata Soalheiro Fávaro, Raquel Silveira Bello Stucchi, Ilka de Fátima Santana Ferreira Boin, Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira Velho
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2022
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doaj.org/article/83aa73730e26497bb21eac8816e7d9b8

Background This study aimed to assess the prevalence of Bartonella sp.-DNA detection in blood and skin samples from patients with non-viral end-stage liver disease awaiting liver transplantation. Methodology/Principal findings Blood samples and healthy skin fragments from 50 patients were tested using microbiological and molecular methods. Fifteen patients had cryptogenic hepatitis (CH) and 35 had alcoholic, drug-induced or autoimmune liver disease. DNA was extracted from whole blood and liquid culture samples, isolates, and skin fragments. Thirteen of the 50 patients (26%) had Bartonella henselae DNA detection in their blood (9/50) and/or skin (5/50) samples. Colonies were isolated in 3/50 (6%) and infection was detected in 7/50 (14%) of the 50 patients. B. henselae-DNA detection was more prevalent in patients with CH than in other patients (p = 0.040). Of 39 patients followed-up for at least two years, a higher mortality rate was observed among patients with CH infected with B. henselae (p = 0.039). Conclusions/Significance Further studies assessing the role of B. henselae infection in the pathogenesis of hepatitis patients must be urgently conducted. Author summary One in four patients with end-stage liver disease awaiting liver transplantation for hepatitis of non-viral origin had documented B. henselae-DNA detection and cryptogenic hepatitis patients have a higher bacterium molecular detection than patients with non-viral hepatitis of known cause.