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Article Summary:

• Bartonella is a bacteria transmitted by ticks, fleas, animals, and even spiders, but most people don’t know much about it.
• Bartonella is a stealth infection that causes a variety of human neurological, inflammatory, and chronic diseases.
• Bartonella infection is often found in coinfection with Lyme disease bacteria and/or the Babesia parasite.
• Animals can easily contract a Bartonella infection from a flea or tick bite.
• Bartonella henselae is mainly carried by cats and causes cat-scratch disease and several other serious diseases in humans.
• Testing for Bartonella infection can be unreliable as the bacterial hides in the body.
• Bartonellosis is often mild, but in chronic cases, it can be severe and affect the entire body.
• Bartonella can cause what appears like stretch marks on the skin, which are referred to as striations.
• A lot of people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome diagnoses may be dealing with Bartonella.
• Thyroid issues are common with Bartonella infection.
• Infected people may have problems sleeping and mood issues such as anxiety and depression.
• Bartonella can affect the nervous system as well.
• Bartonella infection has an intravascular phase where the bacteria live in the blood vessels.
• Bartonella plays a role in autoimmune disease.
• An essential step in getting rid of  Bartonella bacteria is re-establishing proper balance in the body.
• Bartonella sufferers can start recovery by building up their immune system and making the body’s environment inhospitable to the pathogens.
• There are herbal and other drug-free options for the treatment of Bartonella that may be very similar to the protocols used for Lyme disease or Babesiosis.
• It can be a wise decision to use a comprehensive approach instead of just trying to eradicate Bartonella bacteria. Rather than aiming to take down the bacteria, you can accomplish a great deal by addressing the imbalances in the body.

Bartonella: How Do I Know If I Have It?

Bartonella is everywhere—so why don’t more people know about it? Bartonella is a bacteria transmitted by ticks, fleas, animals, and even spiders, but most people don’t much about it if they’ve even heard of it at all. Some people may be familiar with cat scratch disease, an illness transmitted to human through a cat scratch.

Bartonella: What Is It?

Bartonella is a stealth infection that causes a variety of human neurological, inflammatory, and chronic diseases.¹ Infection with Bartonella bacteria is called Bartonellosis. The bacteria is often found in coinfection with Lyme disease bacteria and/or the Babesia parasite.

Animals are a common source of Bartonellosis. Animals, including pets, can easily contract a Bartonella infection from the bite of a flea or tick. The infection can go from asymptomatic through many infectious cycles, causing symptoms and eventually affecting every system in the body.

Not all Bartonella species are known to cause disease in humans. However, Bartonella henselae causes an important emerging human infection first described as a new species in 1992. It is mainly carried by cats and causes cat-scratch disease and several other serious diseases in humans.²

Testing for Bartonella infection can be unreliable as the bacterial hides in the body. Although new methods for diagnosing it are showing promise, treating Bartonella infections in both animals and humans can be challenging.

Bartonella Infection: Symptoms

Bartonellosis is often mild, but in chronic cases, it can be severe and affect the entire body. Early signs are fever, fatigue, and headache. Bartonella can cause lymph nodes to swell 1-2 weeks after infection. Swollen glands are typical around the head, neck, and arms. It has been known to cause:³

• Headaches
• Swollen lymph nodes in head, neck, and armpits
• Fatigue
• Brain encephalitis
• Inflammation of the lymph nodes (sarcoidosis)
• Seizures
• Striated rash (stretch marks)
• Fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue diagnosis
• Joint pain
• Muscle pain and cramps
• Visual blurring and other eye issues
• Poor appetite
• Neurocognitive symptoms
• Anxiety and depression
• Endocarditis
• Thyroid issues
• Neuropathy in the hands and feet
• Elevated blood pressure
• Soreness or burning on the bottom of the feet
• Gastritis and abdominal pain

Bartonella can cause what appears like stretch marks on the skin, which are referred to as striations. This characteristic streaky, striated skin rash often found on the flanks in the lower back near the kidney area typically doesn’t appear in conjunction with stretching of the skin due to weight gain or steroid use.⁴

A lot of people with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome diagnoses have Bartonella. They may have muscle cramps usually in the calves at night before bed. There can be pain or burning on the bottom of the feet, which is usually misdiagnosed as plantar fasciitis.⁵

Thyroid issues are common with Bartonella infection. Infected people may have problems sleeping and mood issues such as anxiety and depression.⁶

Bartonella has an affinity for the neurologic system as well. Since the nerves are affected by the bacteria, there may be neuropathy in the hands and the feet. Bartonella infection has an intravascular phase, too. The bacteria can live in the blood vessels, which can raise blood pressure. Its effects on the blood vessels in the extremities can also lead to Raynaud’s, and patients may have white hands and fingers and cold hands and feet.⁷

Bartonella and Autoimmunity

Bartonella, like Lyme disease and Babesia infection, plays a role in autoimmune disease. The Bartonella bacteria hides in the body to escape detection and destruction by the immune system. So, it will reside in places where there is adequate blood supply like the thyroid, liver, epithelial linings, and kidneys.

In an effort to get at the bacteria that is hiding in the organs, the immune system will attack the organ, gland, or structure in an attempt to grab the Bartonella and destroy it. But unfortunately, the immune system often ends up causing damage to the organ, structure, or gland instead.⁸

An essential step in getting rid of pathogens like Bartonella, Babesia, and Borrelia (Lyme disease) is re-establishing proper balance in the body. Once the body is functioning well, and the immune system is balanced and engaged, the body can become hospitable and deadly to the microbes.

So, an effective strategy is to remove the things that aren’t supposed to be in the body including heavy metals, toxic chemicals, mold mycotoxins, Candida, parasites, dental infections, and continuous exposure to EMR/EMF toxicity. Then, the body can become healthy and balanced, and the immune system will be fully functioning, creating an inhospitable host for the microbes.

Bartonella Species Can Infect Endothelial Linings

Bartonella bacteria are known to sustain themselves by drawing nutrients from red blood cells (erythrocytes).⁹ Consequently, the bacteria are attracted to areas rich in blood flow such as the endothelium, the lining of the interior surface of the blood and lymphatic vessels. The bacteria can, in fact, invade red blood cells and endothelial cells.¹⁰

Unlike most vector-borne bacteria which live outside the body’s red blood cells and vascular endothelial cells (cells on the inside of blood vessels), Bartonella breaches the cell wall, hiding inside and adding to the challenge of getting rid of it. Thus, endothelial linings need extra protection and support. Numerous natural substances are known to support these vessel linings.

A Bartonella-Free Body through Balance

Understandably, people infected with Bartonella may have a lot going on in their bodies, particularly if they have other coinfections. Balancing the body is an essential first step. A Bartonella sufferer should often start by building up their immune system and making the body’s environment inhospitable to the pathogens. Usually, this kind of approach gets better results than just trying to kill off the microbes.

Any time a protocol is applied that works to minimize toxicity and kills off pathogens, the body may need time to detox and adjust. In this phase, it’s essential for the body’s drainage pathways to be open, free-flowing, and readily ridding the body of toxins and wastes.

The brain glymphatics, body lymphatic system, liver/bile duct pathway, kidney, and bowel all need to be functioning optimally to allow the wastes to leave the body. If this step is overlooked or omitted, an accumulation of wastes and debris can lead to worsening of symptoms or create detoxification (Herxheimer) reactions.

Bartonella Support through Natural Methods

There are herbal and drug options for the treatment of Bartonella. Bartonella treatment may be very similar to the protocols used for Lyme disease or Babesiosis. Supplements and herbs can address Bartonella symptoms and offer a Bartonella-infected patient a better quality of life by balancing the body and reducing the bacterial load. A combination of botanicals and dietary supplements can be helpful to treat Bartonellosis, including:

Japanese Knotweed root (Polygonum cuspidatum) seems to have a significant effect on Bartonellosis symptoms, and may be particularly useful because of its direct antimicrobial action, protective effects on the brain and neurological tissue, and anti-inflammatory effects on the blood vessels.¹¹

Japanese knotweed tincture is known to have high levels of trans-resveratrol, which is the type of bioactive resveratrol the body uses. It has all kinds of favorable effects on the body—acting as an antibiotic, reducing inflammation, and interrupting inflammatory cytokine cascades.

Cordyceps is a medicinal mushroom that has been a staple in Chinese medicine for centuries and is revered for its potent anti-aging and health-promoting effects. It is exceptionally good at cytokine intervention and decreasing inflammatory responses.¹² It also balances immune function, modulating both an under-functioning immune system or an over-functioning (autoimmune) one.

Cordyceps is an adaptogenic herb, meaning it helps the body adapt to stress and maintain healthy stress levels. It can balance the hormones associated with stress and maintain healthy energy levels.

Recent research on the cordyceps mushroom has turned up even more impressive findings. This standout supplement can:

• Enhance athletic performance¹³
• Decrease inflammation
• Balance immune function
• Slow aging¹⁴
• Enhance sexual function
• Balance blood sugar levels
• Support heart health
• Possess anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties^{15 16}

Side acuta is a botanical that specifically protects red blood cells from being invaded by bacteria and viruses. It has potent antimicrobial activity.¹⁷

L-Arginine is an amino acid that can protect and restore endothelial function by providing anti-inflammatory and antioxidant support to the endothelial cells.¹⁸ It can potentially reverse the endothelial cell damage caused by Bartonella.

EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate) is a flavonoid found in green tea that can decrease cytokine cascades and protect endothelial cells.¹⁹ EGCG is often taken with quercetin to increase activity and absorption.²⁰

Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) is one of the highly touted herbs native to the Amazon. It has a long history of traditional use for treatment of a wide range of inflammatory conditions. Cat’s claw contains compounds that are considered an immunomodulator, meaning it boosts or reduces immune system function depending on which is needed. It is known to be anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.²¹

Another thing to consider: Bartonella symptoms often look a lot like those of a coinfection called Babesia, and Babesia often looks a lot like Bartonella. So, if you are not responding to treatment for Bartonella, there may not be a resolution or improvement in the symptoms until the Babesia is addressed. It may be easier to assume that you have both of them and go after both when designing a treatment protocol.

Bartonella: A Comprehensive Treatment Approach

Even if there is a definitive diagnosis of Bartonellosis, it can still be a wise decision to use a comprehensive approach instead of just trying to eradicate Bartonella bacteria. Rather than aiming to take down the bacteria, you can accomplish a great deal by addressing the imbalances in the body.

For one thing, your immune system will need to be engaged, focused, and able to overpower Bartonella and other infections. Furthermore, if you have heavy metal and toxic chemical buildup, ongoing EMR/EMF exposure, chemical toxicity, hormone imbalance or disruption, mold exposure, dental cavitations, or are affected with other parasites, it can adversely affect the immune system, and the opportunistic infections can take hold and thrive. Until you stabilize the body and eliminate those problems, you may have some success, but you’re likely not going to have the long-term success that will free you of Bartonella infection.

Even though Bartonella infection is a stealthy player in chronic illness, regaining control of your health and resetting your life is an attainable goal. If you’d like additional support addressing Bartonellosis, coinfections, and chronic illness, my At-Home Program for chronic illness has valuable information and protocols that you can work through on your own.

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