Skip to content
DraconiticResearch
Search Sources API
223,421 studies31 sourcesUpdated 19 min ago
Peer-reviewedCC BY-NC-NDEuropean journal of case reports in internal medicine

Granulomatous Hepatitis Due to Bartonella Henselae Mimicking Stage IV Malignancy.

  • Marine Eliard1
  • Pierre-Yves Sansen2
  • Martin Benoit3
  • Bruno Krug4
  • Helene Vellemans2
4 affiliations
  1. 1Department of infectious diseases, CHU UCL Yvoir, Namur, Belgium.
  2. 2Department of haematology, CHU UCL Yvoir, Namur, Belgium.
  3. 3Department of cardiology, CHU UCL Yvoir, Namur.
  4. 4Department of nuclear medicine, CHU UCL Yvoir, Namur, Belgium.
Read full textPDFDOICite

Abstract

Introduction

Hepatosplenic cat-scratch disease (HS-CSD) is a rare manifestation of Bartonella henselae infection in immunocompetent adults and may closely mimic haematological malignancy.Case description

A 62-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer presented with an eight-week history of fever, night sweats and weight loss. A fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) revealed hypermetabolic hepatosplenic lesions, retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy and a focal acetabular bone lesion, strongly suggesting stage IV lymphoma or metastatic disease. Bone marrow biopsy showed no evidence of malignancy; liver biopsy revealed caseous necrotising granulomas. Mycobacterial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cultures were negative. Bartonella serology demonstrated a high IgG titre (>1:1.280), while tissue PCR was borderline positive. Treatment with azithromycin and rifampicin for four weeks resulted in clinical improvement and resolution of constitutional symptoms.Conclusion

HS-CSD can closely mimic advanced malignancy. In patients with prolonged fever, visceral lesions and feline exposure, B. henselae infection should be considered early in the diagnostic workup.Learning points

HS-CSD may closely mimic advanced malignancy.Feline exposure should prompt consideration of Bartonella henselae infection in patients with prolonged fever and visceral lesions, to avoid unnecessary investigations or inappropriate treatments.

Related

  1. Case Report: Dasatinib-associated chylothorax and occult Bartonella henselae infection in pediatric leukemia: a case report and systematic review
    Caili Liu, Ziting Xia, Runxin Lu +5
    Frontiers in pharmacologyPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textPharmacology & toxicologyEurope PMC
  2. PO119 | BARTONELLA HENSELAE INFECTION ASSOCIATED WITH A MULTISYSTEMIC THROMBO-INFLAMMATORY SYNDROME IN AN IMMUNOCOMPETENT ADULT
    Giovanni Gobbo
    Bleeding, Thrombosis and Vascular BiologyPeer-reviewedCC BY-NCFull textCardiovascular medicineDOAJ
  3. Bouveret Syndrome Mimicking Gallbladder Malignancy: A Diagnostic Challenge in an 85-Year-Old Woman
    Dominik Megias, Beat Oertli, Peter Bauerfeind
    CureusPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  4. Disseminated Pulmonary Coccidioidomycosis Presenting as a Wedge-Shaped Necrotic Mass Mimicking Malignancy
    Tanveer Singh, Sharanya Thiagarajan, Igor Gorodniuk +2
    CureusPeer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC
  5. Metastatic Lung Adenocarcinoma to the Uterus Mimicking a Primary Uterine Malignancy: A Case Report
    Pengpeng Sun, Yue Wang
    Cancer reports (Hoboken, N.J.)Peer-reviewedCC BYFull textGeneral medicineEurope PMC

Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{eliard2026granulomatous,
  title = {{Granulomatous Hepatitis Due to Bartonella Henselae Mimicking Stage IV Malignancy.}},
  author = {Marine Eliard and Pierre-Yves Sansen and Martin Benoit and Bruno Krug and Helene Vellemans},
  journal = {European journal of case reports in internal medicine},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.12890/2026_007477},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/43011688},
  note = {CC BY-NC-ND},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Granulomatous Hepatitis Due to Bartonella Henselae Mimicking Stage IV Malignancy.
AU  - Marine Eliard
AU  - Pierre-Yves Sansen
AU  - Martin Benoit
AU  - Bruno Krug
AU  - Helene Vellemans
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/16
JO  - European journal of case reports in internal medicine
DO  - 10.12890/2026_007477
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/43011688
AB  - Introduction  Hepatosplenic cat-scratch disease (HS-CSD) is a rare manifestation of Bartonella henselae infection in immunocompetent adults and may closely mimic haematological malignancy.Case description  A 62-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer presented with an eight-week history of fever, night sweats and weight loss. A fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (FDG PET/CT) revealed hypermetabolic hepatosplenic lesions, retroperitoneal lymphadenopathy and a focal acetabular bone lesion, strongly suggesting stage IV lymphoma or metastatic disease. Bone marrow biopsy showed no evidence of malignancy; liver biopsy revealed caseous necrotising granulomas. Mycobacterial polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cultures were negative. Bartonella serology demonstrated a high IgG titre (>1:1.280), while tissue PCR was borderline positive. Treatment with azithromycin and rifampicin for four weeks resulted in clinical improvement and resolution of constitutional symptoms.Conclusion  HS-CSD can closely mimic advanced malignancy. In patients with prolonged fever, visceral lesions and feline exposure, B. henselae infection should be considered early in the diagnostic workup.Learning points  HS-CSD may closely mimic advanced malignancy.Feline exposure should prompt consideration of Bartonella henselae infection in patients with prolonged fever and visceral lesions, to avoid unnecessary investigations or inappropriate treatments.
SN  - 2284-2594
ER  -