Bartonella Species Antibodies (IgG, IgM) with Reflex to Titers

Bartonella henselae Antibodies, Cat Scratch Fever Antibodies, IgG and IgM, Trench Fever, Bartonella Antibodies, IgG and IgM

Test Codes

EPIC: LAB1232014, Beaker: B AB Panel, Quest: 34251

NOTE: Includes:

• Bartonella henselae Antibodies (IgG, IgM) with Reflex to Titers.
• Bartonella quintana Antibodies (IgG, IgM) with Reflex to Titers.


• If B. henselae (IgG) Screen is positive, then B. henselae (IgG) titer will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 86611).
• If B. henselae (IgM) Screen is positive, then B. henselae (IgM) titer will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 86611).


• If B. quintana (IgG) Screen is positive, then B. quintana (IgG) titer will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 86611).
• If B. quintana (IgM) Screen is positive, then B. quintana (IgM) titer will be performed at an additional charge (CPT code(s): 86611).

Department

Send Outs

Specimen Collection Criteria

Collect (preferred specimen): One Gold-top SST tube.

Also acceptable: One plain Red-top tube.

Physician Office/Draw Specimen Preparation

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to plastic transport tube and maintain at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) prior to transport.

Preparation for Courier Transport

Transport: 1.0 mL serum, at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F). (Minimum: 0.2 mL)

Rejection Criteria

• Gross hemolysis.
• Grossly lipemic.
• Grossly icteric.

In-Lab Processing

Let specimen clot 30-60 minutes then centrifuge to separate serum from cells. Transfer serum to plastic transport tube and maintain at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F) prior to transport.

Transport: 1.0 mL serum, at room temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F). (Minimum: 0.2 mL)

Storage

Specimen Stability for Testing:

Room Temperature (20-26°C or 68-78.8°F): 7 days
Refrigerated (2-8°C or 36-46°F): 14 days
Frozen (-20°C/-4°F or below): 30 days

Specimen Storage in Department Prior to Disposal:

Specimen retention time is determined by the policy of the reference laboratory. Contact the Send Out Laboratory with any questions.

Laboratory

Sent to Quest Diagnostics, Wood Dale, IL.

Performed

Information not available.

Reference Range

B. henselae (IgG) Screen	Negative
B. quintana (IgG) Screen	Negative
B. henselae (IgM) Screen	Negative
B. quintana (IgM) Screen	Negative

Test Methodology

Immunofluorescence Assay (IFA)

Interpretation

By report.

Clinical Utility

Bartonella Species Antibodies (IgG, IgM) with Reflex to Titers –

This antibody panel helps diagnose infections with Bartonella henselae and Bartonella quintana. This panel includes IgM and IgG antibodies with reflexes to titers for positive results.

B henselae causes cat scratch disease, a self-limiting bacterial infection transmitted via exposure to cats or cat fleas. B quintana causes trench fever, a febrile bacteremic illness transmitted via body lice. B henselae and B quintana are the 2 Bartonella species that most frequently cause blood culture-negative endocarditis. In immunocompromised individuals, infections with B henselae and B quintana may present as bacillary angiomatosis, a vasculoproliferative disease of the skin [1-4].

Because of the fastidious nature of B henselae and B quintana, recovery of these bacteria is rarely successful, especially from blood. Serology is commonly used for diagnosing Bartonella infections [1,3]. Confirmation of recent or current infection with either B henselae or B quintana may require testing of serial specimens to demonstrate a 4-fold increase of IgG titers or the presence of IgM. A B henselae or B quintana IgG titer of 1:800 has been proposed as a major criterion for diagnosing Bartonella endocarditis [4].

IgG cross-reactivity between B henselae and B quintana often occurs [1,3]. Qualitative real-time polymerase chain reaction is a highly specific and sensitive method to detect the presence of Bartonella species DNA in clinical specimens and can differentiate between B henselae and B quintana.

The results of this test should be interpreted in the context of pertinent clinical history and physical examination findings.

Reference

1. Dumler JS, et al. Bartonella. In: Carroll KC, et al, eds. Manual of Clinical Microbiology. 12th ed. ASM Press; 2019. https://www.clinmicronow.org/doi/book/10.1128/9781683670438.MCM.ch50
   
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bartonella infection (cat scratch disease, trench fever, and Carrion's disease). Last reviewed December 18, 2019. Accessed January 28, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/bartonella/clinicians/index.html
   
3. Miller JM, et al. Clin Infect Dis. 2018;67(6):813-816.
   
4. Okaro U, et al. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2017;30(3):709-746.

CPT Codes

86611 x4

Contacts

Last Updated

12/17/2025