Bartonella: The Sneaky Bacteria Behind Surprisingly Complex Symptoms
What do sudden anxiety attacks, unexplained weight loss, and crippling fatigue all have in common? They can all be caused by Bartonella – a stealthy, shape-shifting bacteria that often flies under the radar.
In this blog post, we’ll dive into what Bartonella is, its puzzling symptoms, how it evades diagnosis, and the most effective strategies for treating and preventing this tricky infection. Let’s dive in.
What Is Bartonella? And How Do Humans Get Bartonella?
Bartonella is a type of bacteria that infects your cells – leading to a condition known as Bartonellosis. With over 20 different strains of Bartonella identified, at least 14 of these strains have been found to infect humans. Once inside your body, Bartonella primarily targets the cells lining your blood vessels and red blood cells – making itself at home within these critical components of your bloodstream.1
While Bartonella can infect many mammals, including domestic animals (like cats, dogs, horses, and cattle) it’s most often transmitted to humans through the bite of insect vectors like:2
- Ticks
- Fleas
- Lice
- Sandflies
- Red ants
- Spiders
- Bed bugs
These blood-sucking insects are the perfect vehicle for Bartonella to spread from host to host. But what makes Bartonella especially tricky, is what happens after this stealthy bacteria makes its way into your body.