Demographic characteristics of 91 individuals tested for Bartonella spp. using the BAPGM platform, by collection group
| Demographic characteristic | Group 1: 1 collection in 1 wka | Group 2: 3 collections in 1 wk | Pb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Male | 25 (45.5) | 14 (38.9) | 0.53 |
| Female | 30 (54.5) | 22 (61.1) | |
| Age (yr) | 42.0 (30–53)c | 38.0 (28–50)c | 0.40 |
| Length of symptoms (mo) | 24 (0–60)c | 3 (0–42)c | 0.48 |
| Chronically ill (self-reported) | 22 (40.0) | 17 (47.2) | 0.42 |
| Animal contact | 39 (70.9) | 31 (86.1) | 0.21 |
| Tick exposure | 38 (69.1) | 29 (80.6) | 0.41 |
| Flea exposure | 38 (69.1) | 28 (77.8) | 0.39 |
| Prior antibiotic therapy | 21 (38.2) | 16 (44.4) | 0.41 |
| Balance problems | 20 (36.4) | 16 (44.4) | 0.43 |
| Shortness of breath | 15 (27.3) | 14 (38.9) | 0.31 |
| Blurred vision | 19 (34.5) | 13 (36.1) | 0.32 |
| Confusion | 17 (30.9) | 14 (38.9) | 0.39 |
| Depression | 16 (29.1) | 15 (41.7) | 0.29 |
| Bowel/bladder dysfunction | 14 (25.5) | 11 (30.5) | 0.40 |
| Difficulty remembering | 22 (40.0) | 18 (50.0) | 0.38 |
| Insomnia | 20 (36.4) | 16 (44.4) | 0.40 |
| Disorientation | 8 (14.5) | 7 (19.4) | 0.39 |
| Fatigue | 32 (58.2) | 23 (63.9) | 0.38 |
| Headaches | 26 (47.3) | 15 (41.7) | 0.18 |
| Irritability | 26 (47.3) | 17 (47.2) | 0.31 |
| Joint pain | 28 (50.9) | 20 (55.6) | 0.39 |
| Loss of sensation/numbness | 23 (41.8) | 17 (47.2) | 0.41 |
| Muscle pain | 20 (36.4) | 17 (47.2) | 0.36 |
| Muscle weakness | 20 (36.4) | 17 (47.2) | 0.36 |
| Paralysis | 4 (7.3) | 2 (5.6) | 0.38 |
| Sleeplessness | 27 (49.1) | 20 (55.6) | 0.41 |
| Syncope | 8 (14.5) | 6 (16.7) | 0.41 |
| Tremors/shakes | 9 (16.4) | 12 (33.3) | 0.12 |
| Weight loss | 4 (7.3) | 11 (30.6) | 0.01d |
| Previous consultation with a: | |||
| Neurologist | 15 (27.3) | 16 (44.4) | 0.18 |
| Infectious disease doctor | 11 (20.0) | 13 (36.1) | 0.16 |
| Rheumatologist | 6 (10.9) | 10 (27.8) | 0.08 |
| Endocrinologist | 7 (12.7) | 7 (19.4) | 0.34 |
| Psychiatrist | 1 (1.8) | 2 (5.6) | 0.25 |
↵a Values shown are n (%) unless otherwise specified.
↵b The Fisher exact test was used when the cell size was <5. The nonparametric Mann-Whitney U test was used for nonnormally distributed continuous variables.
↵c Continuous variables are reported as medians (interquartile ranges).
↵d Statistically significant difference.