• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Cat scratch disease

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment
• Prevention

Definition:

Cat scratch disease is an infectious illness caused by the bacteria bartonella. It is believed to be transmitted by cat scratches, bites, or exposure to cat saliva. This leads to swelling of the lymph nodes ( lymphadenopathy ) near the site of the scratch or bite.

Alternative Names:

CSD; Cat scratch fever; Bartonellosis

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Cat scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae . The disease is spread through contact with an infected cat (a bite or scratch), or contact with cat saliva on broken skin or the white of the eye .

Lymph node swelling begins about 2 - 3 weeks after exposure and may persist for months. Swelling may occur at the site of the initial infection, followed by enlarged lymph nodes along the lymph drainage route from the injury site.

Occasionally, nodes may form a tunnel ( fistula ) through the skin and drain. Cat scratch disease is one of the common causes of chronic lymph node swelling in children. Until now, the disease often went unrecognized because of the difficulty in testing.

Recently however, the Bartonella henselae IFA test was shown to be highly sensitive and specific for the detection of infection caused by Bartonella henselae and for the diagnosis of cat scratch disease.

• Review Date: 11/2/2005
• Reviewed By: Kenneth Wener, M.D., Division of Infectious Diseases, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.