Cutaneous bacillary angiomatosis due toBartonella quintanain a renal transplant recipient

• DOI: 10.1111/tri.12539
• Publication Date: 2015-02-03T14:39:09Z
• Authors: Jiri Orsag; Patrik Flodr; Oto Melter; Jan Tkadlec; Jan Sternbersky; Miroslav Hruby; Anna Klicova; Kamil Zamboch; Karel Krejci; Josef Zadrazil
• Keywords: Bacillary angiomatosis; Bartonella; Angiomatosis; Immunosuppression; Cat-scratch disease; Opportunistic infection

Bacillary angiomatosis (BA) is a disorder of neovascular proliferation involving skin and other organs of immunosuppressed patients caused by Bartonella species. BA has been recognized in both immunocompetent and immunodeficient patients, mostly in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected persons, much more rare in those with other immunodeficiencies, including organ transplantation. Diagnosis is based on serologic analysis, culture and molecular biology [detection of Bartonella species deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) in tissue biopsy extracts by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)]. All immunosuppressed patients with BA should be treated with antibiotics because of potentially life-threatening course of the disease. We report the first case of cutaneous bacillary angiomatosis due to Bartonella quintana in renal transplant recipient. This presentation demonstrates that BA should be considered a differential diagnosis in immunocompromised patients presenting with fever and cutaneous angioma-like lesions.