Seroprevalence of Bartonella henselae was investigated in Japan in 48 individuals clinically suspected of having cat‐scratch disease (CSD), 159 patients with cardiovascular diseases, and 129 healthy veterinary students. Of 48 CSD‐suspected patients examined, 19 (39.6%) were positive for B. henselae‐IgG and 4 (8.3%) for B. henselae‐IgM. Of 159 patients with cardiovascular diseases, 5 (3.1%) were positive for B. henselae‐IgG. In healthy veterinary students, 14 of 129 (10.9%) were positive for B. henselae‐IgG and 1 (0.8%) for B. henselae‐IgM. The positive rates of B. henselae‐IgG and ‐IgM in CSD‐suspected patients were significantly higher than in other sources. Most CSD‐suspected and healthy individuals who were positive for B. henselae antibody had had some contacts with cats. In CSD‐suspected patients, the B. henselae positive rate in females was significantly higher than in males, and high seropositive rates to B. henselae were found in younger age groups.

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