Cat scratch disease is a bacterial infection caused by Bartonella henselae bacteria. Most infections usually occur after scratches from domestic or feral cats, especially kittens. CSD occurs wherever cats and fleas are found. The most common symptoms include fever; enlarged, tender lymph nodes that develop 1—3 weeks after exposure; and a scab or pustule at the scratch site.
In the United States, most cases occur in the fall and winter and illness is most common in children less than 15 years old. Cats become infected with Bartonella the bacteria that cause cat scratch disease through flea bites or, less commonly, fights with other infected cats or feline blood transfusions.
Based on these results, clearance of bacteraemia cannot be guaranteed and, in the case of treatment failure, there is the risk of inducing antimicrobial resistance. Treatment of healthy carriers therefore cannot be considered an effective measure for eliminating the zoonotic risk; it is sometimes requested, in human cases of CSD or other Bartonella -related disease in a family member. According to all transmission studies, a strict flea and tick control is the only successful preventive measure.
There is no vaccine available against Bartonella infection. Cats are the main reservoir for B. Recognised risk factors for bacteraemia in cats are young age, infestation with fleas, outdoor lifestyle and a multicat environment Chomel et al.
In humans, CSD Figure 2 is a self-limiting regional lymphadenopathy developing after a primary papular lesion and lasting for a few weeks to several months Boulouis et al.
Abscessation of the lymph node and systemic signs are occasionally reported. Atypical forms and an expanding spectrum of clinical conditions are being associated with B. An unusual CSD case has been reported in a veterinarian affected by persistent fever and back pain after an accidental needle puncture Lin et al.
Bacillary angiomatosis Lange et al. Fig 2. Immunohistochemical identification of B. Courtesy of Dharam Ramnani, Webpathology. There is no benefit of testing asymptomatic cats or people, except in cases of immunosuppressed persons in the home.
Infection does not always lead to clinical signs in healthy persons and many have antibodies Massei et al. Owner education about Bartonella transmission is essential to reduce the zoonotic risk; it is recommended to allow immunosuppressed people to keep their pet cat or to adopt a new one provided that the following preventive measures to reduce the risk of infection are taken.
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If your child feels like playing, encourage quiet play while being careful to avoid injuring swollen lymph nodes. To ease soreness, you can give your child acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Cat scratch disease is not contagious from person to person. The bacteria spread by the scratch or bite of an infected animal, most often a kitten. They also can spread if the animal's saliva spit comes in contact with a person's eye or through broken skin.
Sometimes more than one case happens in the same family, usually through contact with the same infected animal. Having one episode of cat scratch disease usually makes people immune for the rest of their lives.
If you're concerned about cat scratch disease, you do not need to get rid of the family pet. The illness is not common and usually is mild, and a few steps can help protect your kids from it:. If you think that someone caught cat scratch disease from your family pet, don't worry that your cat will have to be euthanized put to sleep. Talk with your veterinarian about how to handle the problem.
Call the doctor whenever your child has swollen or painful lymph nodes in any area of the body. Diagnostic testing Bartonella infections in symptomatic pets should be confirmed by culturing the organism from blood or tissues such as lymph node or heart valve in cases of endocarditis or by amplifying Bartonella -specific DNA sequences from tissues using PCR. Treatment Doxycycline, amoxicillin, enrofloxacin, and rifampin given for a long duration weeks may be effective in reducing the level of bacteremia in the infected cat or dog.
Prevention and control Dogs should be placed on an effective oral or topical flea prevention product such as fipronil, methoprene, Imidocloprid, or permethrin to protect them from fleas and tick infestations.
Permethrin should never be used on cats. Other oral or topical flea prevention products are safe when used as directed. An indoor lifestyle for cats is preferable in the prevention of Bartonella transmission, as this environment will reduce the risk of flea infestation and contact time with other stray cats.
Discourage immunocompromised individuals from playing with or owning young cats. Advise against rough play with cats, particularly kittens and free-roaming feral cats, to prevent scratches. This is especially important for people who have weakened immune systems. All cat scratches should be washed promptly with soap and water.
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