Is Bartonella sp. infection relevant in hematological malignancies in HIV-negative patients? A literature review

Elisa Nunes Secamilli; Marina Rovani Drummond; Juliana Yumi Massuda Serrano; Rafael Fantelli Stelini; Maria Leticia Cintra; Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira Velho

doi:10.1016/j.lrr.2023.100402

Is Bartonella sp. infection relevant in hematological malignancies in HIV-negative patients? A literature review

Leuk Res Rep. 2023 Dec 13:21:100402. doi: 10.1016/j.lrr.2023.100402. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Elisa Nunes Secamilli¹, Marina Rovani Drummond², Juliana Yumi Massuda Serrano¹, Rafael Fantelli Stelini³, Maria Leticia Cintra³, Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira Velho¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
² Laboratory of Applied Research in Dermatology and Bartonella Infection, School of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
³ Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil.

Abstract

Bartonelloses are diseases caused by Bartonella sp., transmitted to humans by blood sucking arthropod vectors. Clinical presentations include bacillary angiomatosis, cat scratch disease and atypical forms. We performed a review of cases of bartonelloses and hematological malignancies published in HIV-negative patients. Terms used were Bartonella or Bacillary Angiomatosis and Leukemia, Lymphoma, Multiple Myeloma, or Cancer. Fifteen cases met our criteria. Clinical presentations included bacillary angiomatosis, chronic fever, chronic lymphadenopathy, osteomyelitis, neuroretinitis, chronic anemia and hepatosplenic peliosis. Fourteen patients were asymptomatic after antibiotic therapy, and one died before antibiotic treatment. Clinicians should be suspicious of Bartonella sp. infections in immunocompromised patients.

Keywords: Angiomatosis; Bacillary; Bartonella; Hematologic neoplasm; Leukemia; Lymphoma.

Publication types

Review