Cat Scratch Disease

Over 22,000 Cases Of Cat Scratch Disease In The United States Every Year

The majority of people contracting cat scratch disease are children under the age of 21.  The main reason for the disease effecting the younger generations is that children are more likely to be playing with cats and kittens- and their play may entice the animals to bite or scratch them.  Cat scratch disease is an infection caused by the Bartonella henselae bacteria that results in swelling of lymph nodes.

In order to prevent cat scratch disease in children, they should be supervised when playing with cats.  At the very least, teach them proper ways of handling cats and kittens.  Each year, 22,000 cases of cat scratch disease is reported in the United States- although the disease occurs all over the world.

Cat Scratch Disease Symptoms Appear Two Weeks After Bite or Scratch

Most people who contract cat scratch disease remember they had contact with a cat, but rarely remember having been bit or scratched by one.  It does not take a deep wound to contract the illness.  The bacteria lives in the saliva of cats, and experts believe that more than half of all the world’s cats carry cat scratch disease.  The disease does not harm or make the cats ill- only humans who come into contact with a cat’s saliva through a wound.

You do not know that you have a problem immediately after being bit or scratched by a cat with cat scratch disease.  The symptoms typically don’t appear until two weeks after the incident.  Common symptoms include one or more of the lymph nodes in close proximity to the wounded area becoming tender.  Lymph nodes are also known as glands.    The glands become swollen and are between 1 and 5 centimeters in diameter.  The top layer of skin will appear red and feel warm to the touch, and in some cases, the lymph nodes will drain pus.

Illness associated with the swollen glands is mild.  Only about a third of people who get cat scratch disease may have other symptoms including fever, rash, headaches, sore throats, fatigue and loss of appetite.

In very rare cases of cat scratch disease, their may also be infections of the bones, lungs, or liver, or very high fevers.  Some individuals may end up with an eye infection on the eyelid. In very extreme cases, the brain may swell or a person may have seizures- but almost all symptoms of cat scratch disease will resolve without any lasting effects.

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