Occurrence of bartonella spp. in stray cats in pengkalan chepa, kelantan

An abstract of the research paper presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Malaysia Kelantan, in partial requirement on the course DVT 55204 – Research Project Bartonella henselae is the main causative agent of cat-scratch disease, which is associated with a wide range of clinical signs in humans, mainly lymphadenopathy. The main reservoir of B. henselae is domestic cats, and it is transmitted to humans through cat scratches and bites. This possesses great zoonotic risk, especially towards immunocompromised individuals. Research has shown that it has a higher prevalence in warm and humid countries due to the suitable environment for the multiplication of the vector, cat fleas. In this study, the occurrence of Bartonella spp. in stray cats in Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan was determined by analysing 15 blood samples. DNA was extracted from the blood samples using a commercial DNA extraction kit, and amplification of DNA was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers targeting the gltA gene (379bp) of Bartonella spp. Then, the amplified DNA fragments were separated using gel electrophoresis and viewed under Gel Doc Imager. From the results obtained, 3 out of 15 samples were suspected to carry B. henselae genes. This concluded that Bartonella spp. is present in stray cats, in Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan, which contributes to the concern of being infected and the awareness among residents should be raised.
Keywords: Bartonella henselae, cat-scratch disease, domestic cats, zoonotic, stray cats, Pengkalan Chepa, blood, PCR