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.