How to Treat Bartonella Infections

Bartonellosis is the name given to any infection by a bacterium in the Bartonella genus. This is a large genus with at least twelve members identified. Oroya fever, verruga peruana, cat scratch disease and trench fever are the only diseases in this group that are formally named. The following steps will show how to treat these closely related diseases.

Instructions

• 1

  Realize that bartonella infections are generally not serious. Medical treatment is not usually needed for patients with healthy immune systems. However, treatment may be provided to reduce tender lymph nodes or to prevent future complications.

• 2

  Treat bartonella infections with antibiotics in patients with compromised immune systems. Treatment with antibiotics generally leads to a full recovery in these patients.

• 3

  Use erythromycin or doxycycline as cost-effective antibiotics. Azithromycin is effective in resolving the accompanying lymphadenopathy and is often considered to be the drug of choice for the treatment of cat scratch disease.

• 4

  Consider switching to azithromycin, co-trimoxazole, or a quinolone if the initial choice appears unsuccessful after two to three weeks. Rifampin combined with another drug or gentamicin may also be considered. An Azithromycin dose pack or a longer course of treatment is sometimes used as well.

• 5

  Continue antibiotic therapy for 3 to 6 weeks. Patients with bacteremia should receive treatment for at least 4 weeks of therapy. Patients with heart valves will often require a replacement if the infection spreads to the valve.