Cat scratch disease can occur when a cat gets scratched or bitten. It belongs to mild zoonoses, although in special cases it can be really dangerous. What are the causes and symptoms of cat scratch disease? Is an antibiotic always used? What are the most common complications?

Cat scratch disease - what is it?

Cat scratch diseaseis caused by Gram-negative bacteriaBartonella henselaeandBartonella clarridgeiae- they are most often carried by young cats, much less often by dogs, rabbits and even squirrels. It occurs all over the world. Studies have shown that up to 50 percent of he althy cats carry the bacteria that cause the disease. It hatch in the body of a human bitten or scratched by a cat (rarely another animal) for 1 to 8 weeks.

Cat scratch disease: symptoms

The symptoms of cat scratch disease are:

  • a lump, then a vesicle, sometimes ulceration at the sites of microbial penetration develops on the skin. The skin lesion lasts from 1 to 8 weeks and disappears by itself.
  • some patients develop lymph nodes enlargement in the immediate area, usually unilaterally. Enlarged lymph nodes are most often soft, slightly tender when palpating, the skin above them red.

May also appear:

  • fever
  • liver enlargement
  • spleen enlargement
  • headaches
  • back pain
  • pain in the lower abdomen
  • sore throat
  • fatigue

Occasionally there are cases where enlarged lymph nodes are suppurated and a fistula develops, requiring surgical intervention.

Cat scratch disease - diagnosis

In typical cases, the diagnosis seems easy, but remember that many diseases involve enlargement of the lymph nodes, e.g.

  • infectious mononucleosis
  • toxoplasmosis
  • tuberculosis
  • tularemia
  • cancer
  • and others

When in doubt, serological tests and a biopsy are performedan enlarged lymph node.

Testing is necessary in patients with lymphadenopathy lasting more than a few weeks.

Cat scratch disease: treatment

Usually, the disease is not acute - it will go away in about 10 days, whether or not antibiotics have been given.

If your lymph nodes are enlarged, they return to their natural size spontaneously after a few weeks.

If the course is more severe - it is necessary to administer an antibiotic - azithromycin - microorganisms causing cat scratch disease are susceptible to it.

Cat scratch disease: complications

Usually, the disease is mild and disappears in about 10 days, regardless of whether or not antibiotic treatment has been used. The most common complications of cat scratch disease include:

  • suppuration of the lymph node
  • Parinaud's syndrome - conjunctival granuloma with enlargement of the pre-ear nodes on the same side
  • inflammation of the retina and optic neuritis with a risk of blindness
  • encephalitis that may involve epilepsy
  • osteomyelitis
  • thrombocytopenia
  • bone seizure
  • endocarditis

Category:

Infectious diseases