Cat scratch fever

Infobox_Disease
Name = PAGENAME


Caption =
DiseasesDB = 2173
ICD10 = ICD10|A|28|1|a|20
ICD9 = ICD9|078.3
ICDO =
OMIM =
MedlinePlus =
eMedicineSubj = emerg
eMedicineTopic = 84
MeshID = D002372

Cat scratch fever is a usually benign infectious disease caused by the intracellular bacterium Bartonella. It is most commonly found in children 1-2 weeks following a cat scratch or bite. It was first described in 1889 by Henri Parinaud. cite journal |author=Jerris RC, Regnery RL |title=Will the real agent of cat-scratch disease please stand up? |journal=Annu. Rev. Microbiol. |volume=50 |issue= |pages=707–25 |year=1996 |pmid=8905096 |doi=10.1146/annurev.micro.50.1.707]

Transmission

The cat was recognized as the vector of the disease in 1950 by Dr. Robert Debré.cite journal |author=Chomel BB |title=Cat-scratch disease |journal=Rev. - Off. Int. Epizoot. |volume=19 |issue=1 |pages=136–50 |year=2000 |pmid=11189710 |doi=] cite journal |author=Arlet G, Perol-Vauchez Y |title=The current status of cat-scratch disease: an update |journal=Comp. Immunol. Microbiol. Infect. Dis. |volume=14 |issue=3 |pages=223–8 |year=1991 |pmid=1959317 |doi=]

The causative organism was first thought to be "Afipia felis", but this was disproved by immunological studies demonstrating that cat scratch fever patients developed antibodies to two other organisms, "Bartonella henselae" and "Bartonella clarridgeiae", which are rod-shaped Gram negative bacteria.

Kittens are more likely to carry the bacteria in their blood, and are therefore more likely to transmit the disease than are adult cats.

Ticks are also a major transmitter of this disease. It is often transmitted at the same time a human may get Lyme Disease. It is often missed when people are tested and diagnosed for Lyme Disease as the symptoms can be similar, such as fatigue, and headaches.

Other names

The condition has also been termed Cat-Scratch Adenitis, Cat-Scratch-Oculoglandular Syndrome, Debre's Syndrome, Debre-Mollaret Syndrome, Foshay-Mollaret Cat-Scratch Fever, Foshay-Mollaret syndrome, Foshay-Mollaret Cat-Scratch Fever Syndrome, Lymphadenitis-Regional Non-bacterial, Lymphoreticulosis-Benign Inoculation, "maladie des griffes du chat," Parinaud oculoglandular disease, and Petzetakis' disease.

Signs and symptoms

Cat scratch fever presents with tender regional lymphadenopathy, sterile suppurative papules at the site of inoculation, slight fever, headache, chills, backache, abdominal pain, malaise, alteration of mental status, and convulsions. It may take 7 to 14 days, or as long as two months, before symptoms appear. Most cases are benign and self-limiting, but lymphadenopathy may persist for several months after other symptoms disappear. The prognosis is generally favorable. In temperate climates, most cases occur in fall and winter. The disease usually resolves spontaneously, with or without treatment, in one month. In immunocompromised patients more severe complications sometimes occur.

Treatment

Azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and multiple other antibiotics have been used successfully.

References

Cat Scratch Fever.

External links

* [http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/catscratch.htm CDC information]
*
* [http://www.rarediseases.org/search/rdbdetail_abstract.html?disname=Cat%20Scratch%20Disease Cat Scratch Disease] on National Organization for Rare Disorders site