7 days at +4°C to +8°C
3 days
7 days at +4°C to +8°C
Immunofluorescence
The diagnosis of cat scratch disease is based on a combination of clinical, epidemiological and biological arguments. Due to a lack of sensitivity, IgM testing is not performed. IgG can persist for up to two years following infection (Metzkor-Cotter et al.). For these reasons, serological evidence of recent cat scratch disease is based on evidence of seroconversion or a significant rise in IgG titer, hence the importance of testing two samples taken 2 to 3 weeks apart should be tested.
It's important to note that there are cross-reactivities with other intracellular bacteria as well as between Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana.
Furthermore, a negative result does not exclude cat scratch disease (inconstant antibody response in some patients, infection with another species of Bartonella not crossing with B. henselae).