Cat scratch fever has public health officials concerned. You may never have heard of it, but it turns out to be more serious than most people realize.
The Epidemiology of Cat Scratch Fever:
Scientists with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently carried out a major epidemiological study of this infection. While the incidence appears to have dropped over the last decade, complications are more severe than previously appreciated. The disease is more common in the southern states, and most of the apparent drop in incidence also occurred in the South. The CDC estimates approximately 12,500 Americans under the age of 65 are affected each year.
The disease is transmitted from cat to cat through fleas that carry the bacterium Bartonella henselae. Cats can pass the germs to humans through bites or scratches. Bartonella can also enter the body through hand to mouth or hand to nose contact, so the CDC urges people to wash their hands carefully after petting their cats.
What Does Cat Scratch Disease Feel Like?
Symptoms of the infection include fever, fatigue and enlarged lymph nodes. Some people also experience joint pain, headaches, memory loss and other neurological complaints.
The CDC warns that in some cases the bacteria may invade the heart and cause potentially life-threatening complications. Diagnosis and treatment can be challenging since it is hard to culture the bacteria and short courses of antibiotics are often ineffective.
To reduce the chance of developing cat scratch fever, the CDC encourages people to keep cats inside and exercise strict flea control measures.
Emerging Infectious Diseases, Oct., 2016
We discussed a range of serious illnesses that can be caused by different species of Bartonella with the world’s expert on this infectious agent, Ed Breitschwerdt, DVM, and his collaborator, B. Robert Mozayeni, MD. You will find our conversation in Show 907: Ticks, Fleas & Mystery Disease.
