Summary: | <i>Rickettsia typhi and Bartonella henselae</i> are the causative agents of murine typhus and cat-scratch disease, respectively. A small-scale survey (N = 202) was conducted in the Attica region, Greece, for determining the prevalence rates of IgG antibodies against <i>B. henselae</i> and <i>R. typhi</i> by indirect fluorescence antibody test. IgG against <i>B. henselae</i> and <i>R. typhi</i> were present in 17.8% (36/202) and 4.5% (9/202) of the participants, respectively; co-occurring IgG against both <i>B. henselae</i> and <i>R. typhi</i> were detected in 3.5% (7/202), whereas only anti-<i>B. henselae</i> IgG in 14.3% (29/202), and only anti-<i>R. typhi</i> IgG in 1.0% (2/202). Titres 1/64, 1/128, 1/256, and 1/512, of anti-<i>B. henselae</i> IgG were identified in 6.4%, 4.5%, 4.5%, and 2.4%, whereas titres 1/40 and 1/80 of anti-<i>R. typhi</i> IgG were detected in 4.0%, and 0.5%, respectively. A positive association of anti-<i>B. henselae</i> IgG prevalence with a coastal area featuring a major seaport (<i>p</i> = 0.009) and with younger age (<i>p</i> = 0.046) was identified. The findings of this survey raise concern for exposure of the population of Attica to <i>B. henselae</i> and <i>R. typhi</i>, which should be considered in the differential diagnosis when compatible symptoms are present. Our results also suggest that seaports may represent high-risk areas for exposure to <i>Bartonella</i> spp.
|