Cat scratch disease is an infection usually caused by the bacteria Bartonella henselae . This infection occurs when an individual is scratched or bitten by a cat that hosts this bacterium.
The bacterium tends to proliferate by infecting the blood vessel wall, leaving the injured area with a red blister characteristic of the disease and can complicate causing cellulitis, which is a type of skin infection or adenitis.
Individuals who have cats as pets should be careful about the health of the animal, making frequent visits to the veterinarian, as usually the cat does not show any signs of the disease, which can make diagnosis difficult.
Signals and symptons
Signs and symptoms that may indicate cat scratch disease are:
- Red blister around the scratch site; Inflamed lymph nodes, popularly called lanes; High fever that can be 38 to 40ºC; Pain and stiffness in the injured area; Lack of appetite and weight loss without apparent cause; Vision problems such as blurred vision and burning eyes; Irritability.
This disease is suspected when a person has swollen lymph nodes after being scratched by a cat. The disease can be diagnosed through a blood test that detects specific antibodies against the bacterium Bartonella henselae . Other tests may also be performed to eliminate other possible diseases.
Some people may experience all symptoms with the exception of the cat's scratch, which suggests that there is another form of contamination other than through cat bites or scratches.
How to treat
Treatment is done with antibiotics such as Amoxicillin, Ceftriaxone, Clindamycin, which kill bacteria. Swollen and fluid lymph nodes can be drained with needles, so that the pain is relieved.
In the most severe cases, when the fever remains and when a lump appears in a lymph node close to the scratch site, it may be necessary to have surgery to remove the lump that forms, and a biopsy is also performed to detect the present changes. After the surgery you may need to put a drain to eliminate the secretions that may continue to come out for a few more days.
Most people who suffer from cat scratch disease recover within a few weeks of starting treatment.
Stricter monitoring is needed with patients with the HIV virus, who may have cat scratch disease more severely due to deficiency in the immune system. Therefore, it may be necessary for them to be hospitalized to treat the disease.
