A Child’s Seizures Traced to a Cat Scratch and Insect Bite: Uncovering Hidden Infections
Imagine a child suffering from seizures, only to discover years later that the cause might be tied to a cat scratch and an insect bite. A groundbreaking case study from North Carolina State University (NCSU) has revealed a connection between Bartonella and Babesia infections and complex neurological disorders, challenging how we approach diagnosis and treatment of such conditions.
In this case, researchers found DNA of Bartonella henselae (the bacteria behind cat scratch disease) and two Babesia species—Babesia odocoilei and Babesia divergens-like MO-1—in the brain tissue of a young child who developed seizures and was suspected to have Rasmussen’s encephalitis. The child, scratched by a feral cat at age two, began experiencing seizures two years later after an insect bite and rash. Six years after the initial scratch, in 2022, the NCSU team tested blood and brain biopsy samples. While initial blood tests using advanced methods like qPCR and digital droplet PCR were negative for Bartonella and Borrelia (Lyme disease), the brain biopsy told a different story: both Bartonella and Babesia DNA were present. Notably, the two Babesia species were also later detected in the patient’s blood samples from earlier testing.
Dr. Edward Breitschwerdt, the study’s corresponding author and a professor at NCSU’s College of Veterinary Medicine, highlights a key takeaway: “Bartonella DNA was not detected in the initially tested blood samples, despite detection in the brain tissue culture samples.” This underscores a critical challenge—standard blood tests can miss infections hiding in tissues like the brain, an “immune privileged site” where pathogens aren’t easily detected. Breitschwerdt also notes the unexpected role of Babesia, a malaria-like parasite typically spread by ticks, suggesting that chronic infections with these pathogens might contribute to neurological symptoms in ways we’re only beginning to understand.
Why This Matters
This case isn’t an outlier—it’s part of a broader pattern. Bartonella species, transmitted by fleas, lice, ticks, and animals like cats, include at least 18 of 45 known species capable of infecting humans. Babesia, a tick-borne, malaria-like parasite that infects red blood cells, often co-occurs with Lyme disease. The medical community increasingly recognizes Bartonella as a cause of new-onset seizures, and co-infections with multiple Bartonella and Babesia species are common in severe cases. Studies from experts like Horowitz, Fallon, and Freeman describe patients with these co-infections as the “sickest and most resistant,” often presenting with severe neuropsychiatric symptoms—depression, anxiety, psychosis—and resistant neuropathy like chronic tingling or burning sensations. Conditions such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), small fiber neuropathy, and severe autonomic dysfunction (e.g., POTS) are also linked to these pathogens.
Diagnosis remains a hurdle. Standard and even specialized blood tests frequently fail, requiring persistent investigation. Some suggest that biofilm-disrupting agents or short courses of intracellular antibiotics before testing could release hidden pathogens, improving detection—a strategy worth exploring further. The NCSU case adds weight to this, showing how Bartonella and Babesia might persist chronically, potentially acting as cofactors in neurological conditions when they evade early detection.
What stands out in these observations is the diagnostic difficulty: standard and even specialized blood tests often fail, requiring persistent investigation when clinical suspicion is high. One hypothesis from this source suggests that using biofilm-disrupting agents or short courses of intracellular antibiotics before testing might improve detection by releasing hidden pathogens—an idea that warrants further exploration.
A Call to Rethink Diagnosis and Awareness
This NCSU case, supported by broader clinical insights, opens new doors for understanding how infections like Bartonella and Babesia might underlie mysterious neurological conditions. It’s a wake-up call for parents, pet owners, and healthcare providers. If a child—or anyone—presents with unexplained seizures or neuropsychiatric symptoms, could a past cat scratch, tick bite, or insect exposure be a clue? How do we bridge the gap when standard tests come up empty?
The implications are profound: better diagnostic tools, heightened clinical suspicion, and more research into chronic infections are urgently needed. As Breitschwerdt notes, “We need to ask ourselves what we may be missing in cases like this.”
Sources
Gabriella True
