Gizmodo reports certain bacteria spread by cat scratches and other animal exposures can sometimes have a dramatic impact on the brain.
A new study profiles a group of patients with psychiatric illness who simultaneously showed signs of infection from bacteria called Bartonella.
Bartonella bacteria aren’t usually linked to serious illness in people. But certain groups, like those immunocompromised, might be more vulnerable generally.
The rod-shaped Bartonella bacteria can survive and replicate inside other cells, much like viruses.
This ability allows them to evade conventional tests for detecting infection and makes it harder for antibiotics to kill them.
Bartonella henselae is the most commonly seen infection in humans and causes cat scratch disease--also called cat scratch fever.
Despite the name, B. henselae and other disease-causing Bartonella can be spread through dogs and other mammals, and parasites like ticks, fleas, and lice.
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