Cat-scratch disease

From WikiLectures

Cat-scratch disease (CSD) or bartonellosis is a disease caused by Bartonella henselae. There is also a possibility of transmission by ticks and fleas to humans, especially from cats and dogs. The disease usually affects cat breeders, people with immunodeficiency, polymorbid people or people living in poor hygiene conditions.

Clinical image[edit | edit source]

Papular lesions may appear approximately 5-10 days after being scratched or bitten by a cat or a tick bite. Accompanying symptoms may include malaise, fatigue, headache and subfebrile illness.

  • Only 10-20% of infections are symptomatic and occurs with the same clinical manifestation as nodular syndrome with enlargement of the cervical and neck lymph nodes. The lymph nodules are often not very large.
  • In some cases, the number of affected lymph nodes may rarely occur.[1]

Symptoms usually subside slowly within 2 months, but may be replaced by chronic problems. The disease can be accompanied by complications such as widespread infection, which is especially common in immunosuppressed individuals.

Diagnostics[edit | edit source]

Usually a clinical diagnosis is made, which can be supplemented with serology - immunofluorescence or ELISA. Bartonella are sensitive, require extended incubation time ("chocolate“ agar). PCR can also be used for the assay.

In the blood count, there is leukocytosis, thrombocytopenia, anemia; serum alkaline phosphatase is elevated.

Treatment[edit | edit source]

Therapy consists of the administration of antibiotics - erythromycin, tetracycline, rifampicin.

References[edit | edit source]

Related articles[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

Reference[edit | edit source]

  1. FOJTÍKOVÁ, Monika. Nemoc z kočičího škrábnutí [online]. [cit. 2017-02-05]. <http://www.pediatriepropraxi.cz/pdfs/ped/2009/01/09.pdf>

Literature[edit | edit source]