The term “One Health” refers to how the health of people, animals, and their shared environment are interdependent. Despite the importance of this multidisciplinary view, it is rarely applied to education standards across the globe. Why is one health education important? What resources are available? “One Health” is not necessarily a new concept, but it […]
What Makes A Disease “Rare”?
A topic that ignites controversy in the zoonotic disease community is the “rare disease” designation. This designation rings false for diseases that seem underdiagnosed, or where there are peer-reviewed publications indicating underdiagnosis. It can seem like yet more evidence that a condition is ignored. However, the rare disease designation also aims to turn that around […]
What are the “Pros” of Probiotics?
Emerging metagenomic research increasingly shows the clinical importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbiome. However, this can be challenging for patients who are managing chronic vector-borne infections with long-term antibiotic regimens. Physicians will often recommend probiotics that may help alleviate unwanted side effects, but what are they? And how do they work? Probiotics are described […]
Bartonella and Blood: Infection of Erythrocytes
Bartonella species are notoriously difficult to detect when testing patient blood specimens. The bacteria use immunosuppression as a tactic to avoid immune recognition, so serology tests that detect antibodies can be negative even during a long-standing infection. Furthermore, the bacteria move in and out of the blood in a relapsing pattern. Therefore, a PCR test […]
How Likely is Bartonellosis in Dogs?
Cats receive most of the attention when it comes to Bartonella prevalence and transmission because they are natural carriers of the bacteria. There is even an illness named after how they transmit Bartonella henselae to humans (cat scratch disease or cat scratch fever). However, competent vectors for Bartonella species (insects and arachnids that are able […]
Bartonellosis: A Hidden Cause of Splenomegaly
An enlarged spleen can present a diagnostic mystery. The spleen is an organ that is like a large lymph node (see our previous blog post on bartonellosis and lymph nodes). It cleans old red blood cells from the bloodstream and as part of that process is exposed to everything in the body. The spleen can […]