Background and objective: Our goal was to investigate the kinetics of serum IgG antibodies against Bartonella spp. in patients with cat-scratch disease and in HIV-infected indiviuals.
Patients and method: Sequential determinations were made in seven patients with cat scratch disease and in seven HIV-infected individuals who were seropositive for this bacteria.
Results: In five patients from each group, serum antibodies fell under the positivity threshold within two years. Two HIV coinfected patients harbored Bartonella spp. DNA in bone marrow.
Conclusions: These results suggest that the finding of a positive titer of serum IgG against Bartonella spp. is a marker of acute or recent infection.