Cat scratch disease (CSD), Bartonella henselae
Cat scratch fever, also called cat scratch disease (CSD), is a bacterial infection. The disease gets its name because people contract it from cats infected with Bartonella henselae bacteria.
What causes cat scratch fever?
You can get cat scratch fever from a bite or scratch from an infected cat. You can also get the disease if saliva from an infected cat gets into an open wound or touches the whites of your eyes. Occasionally, you may get the disease from a flea or a tick carrying the bacterium.
You can’t get cat scratch disease from another human.
Common symptoms of cat scratch fever include:
- a bump or blister at the bite or scratch site
- swollen lymph nodes near the bite or scratch site
- fatigue
- headaches
- a low-grade fever, which is above 98.6°F (37°C) but below 100.4°F (37°C)
- body aches
Less common symptoms of cat scratch fever include:
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- sore throat
Rare symptoms of cat scratch fever may be linked to a more severe version of the disease. These symptoms include:
- backache
- chills
- abdominal pain
- joint pain
- rash
- prolonged fever
A bump or blister may develop on the skin at the site of infection 3 to 10 days after exposure. Other symptoms, such as swollen lymph nodes, may not occur for several days or weeks. Swollen lymph nodes typically occur between one and three weeks.
Complications of cat scratch fever?
There are several possible, but rare, complications of cat scratch fever.
Encephalopathy is a brain disease that can occur when the bacteria spread to the brain. In some cases, encephalopathy results in permanent brain damage or death.
Neuroretinitis is an inflammation of the optic nerve and retina. It causes blurred vision. The inflammation can occur when the bacteria responsible for cat scratch fever travels to the eye. Vision usually improves after the infection is gone.
Osteomyelitis is a bacterial infection in the bones, which can result in bone damage. In some cases, the bone damage is so severe that amputation is necessary.
Parinaud oculoglandular syndrome is an eye infection with symptoms similar to pink eye. Cat scratch fever is one of the most common causes of this syndrome. It may result from B. henselae entering the eye directly, or from the bacteria traveling through the bloodstream to the eye. The syndrome usually responds well to antibiotic treatment. In rare cases, surgery is necessary to remove infected tissue from the eye.
How is cat scratch fever treated?
Cat scratch fever usually isn’t serious and generally doesn’t require treatment. Antibiotics can treat people with serious cases of cat scratch fever or weakened immune systems.
Azithromycin (Zithromax) is used to decrease lymph node volume quickly. It’s typically prescribed for five days. Other antibiotics sometimes used to treat cat scratch fever infections include:
- ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
- rifampin (Rifadin)
- tetracycline (Sumycin)
- trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra)
Treatment times and dosage of these antibiotics vary depending on each clinical case, but they can last from five days to two weeks. Talk to your doctor about possible drug interactions. Drug interactions are also possible if you consume alcohol.
The blister or bump may last between one and three weeks. The swollen lymph nodes usually take two to four months to disappear, but can last from six months to a year or more. They can also result in other complications.
Cat scratch disease (CSD), Bartonella henselae
Cat scratch fever, also called cat scratch disease (CSD), is a bacterial infection. The disease gets its name because people contract it from cats infected with Bartonella henselae bacteria.
What causes cat scratch fever?
You can get cat scratch fever from a bite or scratch from an infected cat. You can also get the disease if saliva from an infected cat gets into an open wound or touches the whites of your eyes. Occasionally, you may get the disease from a flea or a tick carrying the bacterium.
You can’t get cat scratch disease from another human.
Common symptoms of cat scratch fever include:
- a bump or blister at the bite or scratch site
- swollen lymph nodes near the bite or scratch site
- fatigue
- headaches
- a low-grade fever, which is above 98.6°F (37°C) but below 100.4°F (37°C)
- body aches
Less common symptoms of cat scratch fever include:
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
- sore throat
Rare symptoms of cat scratch fever may be linked to a more severe version of the disease. These symptoms include:
- backache
- chills
- abdominal pain
- joint pain
- rash
- prolonged fever
A bump or blister may develop on the skin at the site of infection 3 to 10 days after exposure. Other symptoms, such as swollen lymph nodes, may not occur for several days or weeks. Swollen lymph nodes typically occur between one and three weeks.
complications of cat scratch fever?
There are several possible, but rare, complications of cat scratch fever.
Encephalopathy is a brain disease that can occur when the bacteria spread to the brain. In some cases, encephalopathy results in permanent brain damage or death.
Neuroretinitis is an inflammation of the optic nerve and retina. It causes blurred vision. The inflammation can occur when the bacteria responsible for cat scratch fever travels to the eye. Vision usually improves after the infection is gone.
Osteomyelitis is a bacterial infection in the bones, which can result in bone damage. In some cases, the bone damage is so severe that amputation is necessary.
Parinaud oculoglandular syndrome is an eye infection with symptoms similar to pink eye. Cat scratch fever is one of the most common causes of this syndrome. It may result from B. henselae entering the eye directly, or from the bacteria traveling through the bloodstream to the eye. The syndrome usually responds well to antibiotic treatment. In rare cases, surgery is necessary to remove infected tissue from the eye.
How is cat scratch fever treated?
Cat scratch fever usually isn’t serious and generally doesn’t require treatment. Antibiotics can treat people with serious cases of cat scratch fever or weakened immune systems.
Azithromycin (Zithromax) is used to decrease lymph node volume quickly. It’s typically prescribed for five days. Other antibiotics sometimes used to treat cat scratch fever infections include:
- ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
- rifampin (Rifadin)
- tetracycline (Sumycin)
- trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra)
Treatment times and dosage of these antibiotics vary depending on each clinical case, but they can last from five days to two weeks. Talk to your doctor about possible drug interactions. Drug interactions are also possible if you consume alcohol.
The blister or bump may last between one and three weeks. The swollen lymph nodes usually take two to four months to disappear, but can last from six months to a year or more. They can also result in other complications.
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