Emerging concern- Veterinary Professionals:

[Updated 2/11/2021] Potential exposure to zoonotic disease is an inherent risk in veterinary medicine. We are exposed to a multitude of different vectors, reservoir hosts, animal species and infectious disease.

Mounting research has shown the emerging concern and higher prevalence of Bartonellosis and Chronic Bacteremia in veterinary professionals, wildlife workers and farmers.

If you work with animals, you are at higher risk for Bartonella exposure.

" ...Studies have found that the infection rates in veterinarians to be as high as 45% and in people with occupational animal exposure longer than 10 years duration 57%"- these were just the stats for those not showing symptoms...all you need is a a few system disruptors for bartonella to exploit your host immune system.

There are too many of us who suffer from vague inflammatory conditions, fibromyalgia like symptoms, complex pain, anxiety, depression, migraines, light sensitivity, dizziness, atypical auto-immune and MS like disease...you probably personally know someone struggling with one or many of these. We often blame it on the multilayered difficulties/chronic stressors our job entails but what if it’s not...my case is a perfect example.

SERIOUSLY, VET MED..... familiarize yourself with some of the newest research and growing concerns surrounding the many clinical manifestations of this zoonotic disease. Please read

1. Detection of Bartonella Species in the Blood of Veterinarians and Veterinary Technicians: A Newly Recognized Occupational Hazard? Journal of Vector Borne and Zoonotic Diseases, 2014

2. Bartonellosis: an emerging infectious disease of zoonotic importance to animals and human beings. Journal of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care, 2010

3. Rheumatological presentation of Bartonella koehlerae and Bartonella henselae bacteremias. A case report, 2018 (also listed in Rheumatologic Manifestations)

4. Bartonella species in blood of immunocompetent persons with animal and arthropod contact. Emerging infectious diseases, 2007

5. Suicides among veterinarians become a growing problem. Washington Post, 2019

6. Did Bartonella henselae contribute to the deaths of two veterinarians?Parasites & vectors, 2015

7. Prevalence of Bartonella spp. by culture, PCR and serology, in veterinary personnel from Spain. Parasites & vectors, 2017

8. Shedding Light on an Emerging Infectious Disease. NC State, 2017

Visit Galaxy Diagnostics Website for more information.

Image and statistical information attained at GalaxyDX.com

Check out the updated post on "Transmission". It gives an overview of newly discovered routes of Bartonella Transmission important for Veterinary Professionals and One Health