@article{delaney_robveille_maggi_lashnits_kingston_liedig_murray_fallon_breitschwerdt_2024, title={<i>Bartonella</i> species bacteremia in association with adult psychosis}, volume={15}, ISSN={["1664-0640"]}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1388442}, DOI={10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1388442}, abstractNote={Introduction The potential role of pathogens, particularly vector-transmitted infectious agents, as a cause of psychosis has not been intensively investigated. We have reported a potential link between Bartonella spp. bacteremia and neuropsychiatric symptoms, including pediatric acute onset neuropsychiatric syndrome and schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to further assess whether Bartonella spp. exposure or infection are associated with psychosis. Methods In a blinded manner, we assessed the presence of anti- Bartonella antibodies by indirect immunofluorescence assays (IFA), and infection by amplification of bacterial DNA from blood by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), digital PCR (dPCR), and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) in 116 participants. Participants were categorized into one of five groups: 1) controls unaffected by psychosis ( n = 29); 2) prodromal participants ( n = 16); 3) children or adolescents with psychosis ( n = 7); 4) adults with psychosis ( n = 44); and 5) relatives of a participant with psychosis ( n = 20). Results There was no significant difference in Bartonella spp. IFA seroreactivity between adults with psychosis and adult controls unaffected by psychosis. There was a higher proportion of adults with psychosis who had Bartonella spp. DNA in the bloodstream (43.2%) compared to adult controls unaffected by psychosis (14.3%, p = 0.021). The Bartonella species was determined for 18 of the 31 bacteremic participants, including infection or co-infection with Bartonella henselae (11/18), Bartonella vinsonii subsp. b erkhoffii (6/18), Bartonella quintana (2/18), Bartonella alsatica (1/18), and Bartonella rochalimae (1/18). Discussion In conjunction with other recent research, the results of this study provide justification for a large national or international multi-center study to determine if Bartonella spp. bacteremia is more prevalent in adults with psychosis compared to adults unaffected by psychosis. Expanding the investigation to include a range of vector-borne and other microbial infections with potential CNS effects would enhance knowledge on the relationship between psychosis and infection.}, journal={FRONTIERS IN PSYCHIATRY}, author={Delaney, Shannon and Robveille, Cynthia and Maggi, Ricardo G. and Lashnits, Erin and Kingston, Emily and Liedig, Chance and Murray, Lilly and Fallon, Brian A. and Breitschwerdt, Edward B.}, year={2024}, month={Jun} }
 @article{guirguis_pupillo_rodrigues_walker_roth_liedig_maggi_breitschwerdt_frohlich_2024, title={<i>Bartonella</i> spp. infection in people with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A pilot study}, volume={19}, ISSN={["1932-6203"]}, DOI={10.1371/journal.pone.0307060}, abstractNote={Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a neurological disorder at the transition between normal cognitive decline and dementia. Despite the potential role of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of MCI, infectious triggers remain mostly unknown. Infection with Bartonella spp., a zoonotic bacterium, has recently been associated with diffuse neurological and psychiatric symptoms. Given the preferential endothelial localization of Bartonella spp. and the role of vascular changes in neurocognitive decline, we hypothesized that there is an association between Bartonella spp. infection and pathologically accelerated decline in cognitive function in aging. To test this hypothesis, we collected serological and molecular markers of past and present Bartonella spp. infection in a sample of older people with and without MCI. Samples were processed in a blinded way to exclude laboratory biases. Contrary to our hypothesis, people with MCI were not more likely than people without MCI to have an active Bartonella spp. infection as measured by droplet digital PCR ( p = 0.735) and quantitative PCR ( p = 1). In addition, there was no significant difference in positive serological results between cases and controls ( p = 0.461). Overall, higher-than-expected active Bartonella spp. infection (37% by ddPCR) and seroreactivity (71% by indirect fluorescent antibody assay) were found in people without MCI. Conclusions require caution, as our study was limited by the small number of cases with MCI. Overall, our results identified a higher than previously recognized rate of exposure and infection with Bartonella spp . in this older study population but does not support a specific role for such infection in MCI.}, number={8}, journal={PLOS ONE}, author={Guirguis, Verina and Pupillo, Francesca and Rodrigues, Siena and Walker, Nathan and Roth, Heidi and Liedig, Chance E. and Maggi, Richardo G. and Breitschwerdt, Edward B. and Frohlich, Flavio}, year={2024}, month={Aug} }
 @article{liedig_neupane_lashnits_breitschwerdt_maggi_2023, title={Blood Supplementation Enhances Bartonella henselae Growth and Molecular Detection of Bacterial DNA in Liquid Culture}, volume={5}, ISSN={["2165-0497"]}, url={https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.05126-22}, DOI={10.1128/spectrum.05126-22}, abstractNote={
            This study aims to improve diagnostic detection of
            Bartonella henselae
            . Patient samples are combined with enriched bacterial cultures aimed at growing
            Bartonella henselae
            for the best possible chance at detection. However, current
            Bartonella
            growth methods could be improved. The DNA extraction method used by most laboratories should also be optimized. Sheep blood was added to increase the growth of
            Bartonella henselae
            and multiple DNA extraction methods were to be compared to each other.
          }, journal={MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM}, author={Liedig, Chance and Neupane, Pradeep and Lashnits, Erin and Breitschwerdt, Edward B. and Maggi, Ricardo G.}, editor={Mostafa, Heba H.Editor}, year={2023}, month={May} }