Gizmodo reports certain bacteria spread by cat scratches and other animal exposures can sometimes have a dramatic impact on the brain.<br />A new study profiles a group of patients with psychiatric illness who simultaneously showed signs of infection from bacteria called Bartonella.<br />Bartonella bacteria aren’t usually linked to serious illness in people. But certain groups, like those immunocompromised, might be more vulnerable generally.<br />The rod-shaped Bartonella bacteria can survive and replicate inside other cells, much like viruses.<br />This ability allows them to evade conventional tests for detecting infection and makes it harder for antibiotics to kill them.<br />Bartonella henselae is the most commonly seen infection in humans and causes cat scratch disease--also called cat scratch fever.<br />Despite the name, B. henselae and other disease-causing Bartonella can be spread through dogs and other mammals, and parasites like ticks, fleas, and lice.<br />I
