Cat scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial disease caused by Bartonella henselae. The bacteria can be transmitted from cat to human. Most people with CSD have been gnawed or scratched by a cat and developed a mild infection at the site of injury. The cat scratch disease is more common in fall and winter. In the U.S., around 22,000 cases are diagnosed each year, mostly in people under age 21. This may be because children are more likely to play with cats and be bitten or scratched. Over 90% of people with the disease have had any contact with cats, often kittens.
Most people with cat scratch disease remember that about a cat. A blister or small bump develops over many days after the scratch or bite and can be mistaken for an insect bite. This blister or bump is called an inoculation lesion, and is more commonly in the arms and hands, head or scalp. These lymph nodes appear most often in the armpit or neck areas, although the injury inoculation is in the leg, then the nodes in the groin, will be affected. They vary in size from about ½ inch to 2 inches (1 to 5 centimeters) in diameter and may be surrounded by a larger area of swelling under the skin.
The skin over these lymph nodes may be red hot, and sometimes lymph node pus nodes. In most children and adolescents, lymph nodes are the main symptom of the disease and the disease usually mild. These include fever (usually less than 101 degrees Fahrenheit or 38.3 ° C), fatigue, loss of appetite, headache, rash, sore throat and a feeling of malaise. In rare cases (1% -5%), cat scratch disease can cause complications such as inflammation irreversible eye or seizures (convulsions). Cats do not require any treatment. The bacteria does not make cats sick.
The cat scratch disease is more severe, and treatment with antibiotics is recommended. Azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, and several other antibiotics have been used successfully. If your child feels like playing, Encourage play quietly while taking care not to cause damage to the lymph nodes. Avoid "rough play" with cats, especially kittens. This includes any activity that may result in scratches and bites. Wash cat bites and scratches immediately and thoroughly with soap and running water. Do not let cats lick open wounds that you may have. Cat saliva to prevent decrease the risk of infection.
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