Featured Podcast Episode | Aired May 22, 2026
Most providers know to ask about Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever after a tick bite. Fewer know to ask about Bartonella, a stealth pathogen best known for causing cat scratch fever that can persist long after the initial exposure.
In this conversation, Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, walks through decades of research on how Bartonella evades detection, hides within cells, and may contribute to chronic presentations affecting the heart, joints, nervous system, and brain.
Originally Featured On:
The People’s Pharmacy, hosted by Joe and Terry Graedon
In this episode of The People’s Pharmacy, Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, joins hosts Joe and Terry Graedon for a wide ranging conversation about Bartonella, a stealth pathogen that can persist long after the initial exposure and contribute to chronic presentations across multiple body systems.
Most providers know to ask about Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever after a tick bite. Fewer know to ask about Bartonella, a pathogen transmitted not only by ticks but also fleas, biting flies, and other vectors, one that can evade detection for years.
Dr. Breitschwerdt shares what decades of research have revealed about how Bartonella hides within cells, why atypical presentations are often overlooked, and what providers can consider when a patient’s symptoms do not fit a clear diagnostic pattern.
Why Bartonella is considered one of the most versatile vector-borne pathogens, transmitted by ticks, fleas, biting flies, and other arthropods
How Bartonella can persist within cells long after the initial exposure, evading standard detection methods
Why neurological, rheumatological, and psychiatric presentations are often overlooked in patients managing chronic illnessThe difference between direct detection and serology, and why a single blood draw may not capture pathogen presence Why clinical suspicion should remain even when initial testing is negative Practical steps for reducing tick and flea exposure for patients and their pets
Integrative and functional medicine clinicians
Naturopathic physicians
Primary care providers managing complex chronic patients.
Rheumatologists and neurologists evaluating atypical presentations
Any clinician managing complex, chronic patients where a clear diagnosis has been elusive
This content is intended for clinicians and licensed healthcare providers only.
Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, DVM, is a professor of medicine and infectious diseases at North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine, where he has spent more than three decades researching vector-borne pathogens.
He is widely regarded as one of the world’s leading researchers on Bartonella and has authored more than 200 peer reviewed manuscripts on the subject. His work spans diagnostics, treatment, and prevention, including collaboration with Duke Pharmacology and ongoing research toward a feline Bartonella vaccine.
This episode was recorded for The People’s Pharmacy, hosted by Joe and Terry Graedon.
Access to the full conversation with Dr. Ed Breitschwerdt, available on your own schedule.
On-demand replay of the full episode, available anytime after you submit the form.
Related Galaxy Diagnostics clinical resources are available for evaluating complex, chronic presentations and additional guidance on direct detection testing.
Galaxy Diagnostics advances the detection of elusive vector-borne pathogens through transparent, evidence driven science, empowering clinicians to diagnose confidently in complex or uncertain presentations.
