Bartonellaspecies as a cause of infective endocarditis in the UK

Abstract

SUMMARYBartonellaspp. are increasingly implicated in infectious endocarditis cases in the UK. Herein, we attempted to quantify their role in this syndrome and explored the epidemiology ofBartonella-associated endocarditis in the UK. Between November 2005 and October 2010, samples from 685 endocarditis patients were submitted to the Health Protection Agency forBartonellaserology. Serological evidence of infection was obtained for 57 (8·3%) patients. PCR-based evidence of infection was obtained from 13 out of 14 patients for whom heart valve tissue was available, withBartonella quintanaimplicated in 12 cases andB. henselaein one. Six patients withB. quintanaendocarditis were recent immigrants into the UK, of whom four lived in poor socioeconomic conditions. These results indicate thatBartonellais a not uncommon cause of endocarditis in the UK and should be considered particularly in patients raised in eastern Europe and/or with a history of homelessness or alcoholism.