Bartonellosis is a constellation of clinical conditions affecting human beings and a variety of animals. Many Bartonella infections are zoonotic, with some of the most commonly reported zoonotic manifestations of infection including cat scratch disease, bacillary angiomatosis, endocarditis, and neuroretinitis. Companion animals serve as reservoirs for several zoonotic species of Bartonella, and may also serve as sentinels for zoonotic Bartonella species harbored by wildlife. This article provides an overview of bartonellosis of dogs and cats, and discusses public health implications of animal bartonellosis.
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