Abstract
The genus Bartonella (Rhizobiales; Bartonellaceae) encompasses facultative intracellular Gram-negative bacteria that mainly parasitize erythrocytes and endothelial cells of mammals, and can cause zoonoses with clinical manifestations ranging from moderate to severe, depending on the Bartonella species involved and the immune status of the mammalian host. Cats, rodents and bats act as rese…