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Cat Scratch Disease

Updated : September 17, 2022





Background

Cat scratch disease is a febrile condition accompanied by subacute regional lymphadenopathy. The infectious agent is Bartonella henselae.

In the majority of instances, symptoms resolve spontaneously after two to four weeks. The host is susceptible to severe illness, if he/she is immunocompetent or immunocompromised.

Cat scratch sickness was first recorded around 1930 and its relationship with cats wasn’t discovered until the 1950s. This disease can be considered in the diagnosis of any chronic, subacute, or acute lymphadenopathy.

Epidemiology

In immunocompetent hosts, cat scratch disease normally results in a minor sickness. Fifty-five percent of instances involve minors under the age of 18; sixty percent of them are boys. More than 30% of these occur in the US between September and January. The distribution is international.

Cats are the vectors of cat scratch disease because they obtain the bacteria from the bite of Ctenocephalides felis (a cat flea) and develop bacteremia as a result. Affected cats are asymptomatic.

B. henselae is hard to cultivate but detectable using serologic or PCR techniques. Through broken skin, an infection may be transmitted by a scratch, a bite, or infected saliva. 56% of cats which have bacteremia are younger than a year.

Anatomy

Pathophysiology

The characteristic clinical feature is lymphadenopathy at the infection site. The immunocompetent host develops a granulomatous reaction.

An immunocompromised host can have vascular proliferation. In one to two weeks, affected lymph nodes grow swollen and painful.

Additionally, cat scratch illness is a typical cause of persistent lymphadenopathy, which can disseminate beyond the infection site. It is possible for cat scratch illness to spread to the liver, spleen, CNS and eye.

Etiology

B. henselae, a gram-negative rod, is the primary etiological agent of cat scratch illness. Usually caused by a young cat’s scratch or bite, the infection affects the lymph nodes draining the area. It has been over 50 years since cat scratch disease was described clinically, but the bacteriological agent has not been identified yet.

Pathologist Dr. Douglas Wear discovered a bacterium in the lymph nodes of individuals affected with this disease. This resulted in decades of investigation to determine the bacteriological agent. Bartonella and Chlamydia species initially shown cross-reactivity.

Following the invention of the electron microscope, the Warthin Starry stain was used to identify bacteria in afflicted lymph node samples. Bacillary angiomatosis found Warthin-Starry positive bacteria in the 1990s, and it was determined to be the same agent as the control group of cat scratch patients.

Genetics

Prognostic Factors

For almost 90%-95% this disease can be treated successfully by just managing symptoms using warm compresses, analgesis, and antipyretics.

Individuals in which the disease has spread to other parts of the body may take months or sometimes even a year for recovery.

This depends on the involved system. If the host has a compromised immune system, the prognosis might be worse.

Clinical History

Physical Examination

Age group

Associated comorbidity

Associated activity

Acuity of presentation

Differential Diagnoses

Laboratory Studies

Imaging Studies

Procedures

Histologic Findings

Staging

Treatment Paradigm

by Stage

by Modality

Chemotherapy

Radiation Therapy

Surgical Interventions

Hormone Therapy

Immunotherapy

Hyperthermia

Photodynamic Therapy

Stem Cell Transplant

Targeted Therapy

Palliative Care

Medication

 

azithromycin 

(Off-label) :

250 mg once daily for four days if you weigh more than 45.5 kg.



 

azithromycin 

45 kg: 10 mg/kg (maximum dose: 500 mg) orally as a single dosage, followed by 5 mg/kg (maximum 250 mg/dose).
Days 2 through 5: orally every Day
>45 kg: 250 mg once day for 4 days after receiving 500 mg orally.



Dose Adjustments

Dosing Considerations Usage solely to treat illnesses that are positively identified as being brought on by susceptible bacteria to prevent the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria and preserve azithromycin's efficacy.
restrictions on usage
Use with caution in pneumonia patients who may not benefit from oral treatment due to a moderate to severe sickness or risk factors like any of the following:
those who have cystic fibrosis
Nosocomial infection patients
patients with bacteremia, either known or suspected
People that need to be hospitalised
ailing or elderly patients
Individuals who may be less able to respond to their condition if they have serious underlying health issues (including immunodeficiency or functional asplenia)

 

Media Gallary

References

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482139/

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Cat Scratch Disease

Updated : September 17, 2022




Cat scratch disease is a febrile condition accompanied by subacute regional lymphadenopathy. The infectious agent is Bartonella henselae.

In the majority of instances, symptoms resolve spontaneously after two to four weeks. The host is susceptible to severe illness, if he/she is immunocompetent or immunocompromised.

Cat scratch sickness was first recorded around 1930 and its relationship with cats wasn’t discovered until the 1950s. This disease can be considered in the diagnosis of any chronic, subacute, or acute lymphadenopathy.

In immunocompetent hosts, cat scratch disease normally results in a minor sickness. Fifty-five percent of instances involve minors under the age of 18; sixty percent of them are boys. More than 30% of these occur in the US between September and January. The distribution is international.

Cats are the vectors of cat scratch disease because they obtain the bacteria from the bite of Ctenocephalides felis (a cat flea) and develop bacteremia as a result. Affected cats are asymptomatic.

B. henselae is hard to cultivate but detectable using serologic or PCR techniques. Through broken skin, an infection may be transmitted by a scratch, a bite, or infected saliva. 56% of cats which have bacteremia are younger than a year.

The characteristic clinical feature is lymphadenopathy at the infection site. The immunocompetent host develops a granulomatous reaction.

An immunocompromised host can have vascular proliferation. In one to two weeks, affected lymph nodes grow swollen and painful.

Additionally, cat scratch illness is a typical cause of persistent lymphadenopathy, which can disseminate beyond the infection site. It is possible for cat scratch illness to spread to the liver, spleen, CNS and eye.

B. henselae, a gram-negative rod, is the primary etiological agent of cat scratch illness. Usually caused by a young cat’s scratch or bite, the infection affects the lymph nodes draining the area. It has been over 50 years since cat scratch disease was described clinically, but the bacteriological agent has not been identified yet.

Pathologist Dr. Douglas Wear discovered a bacterium in the lymph nodes of individuals affected with this disease. This resulted in decades of investigation to determine the bacteriological agent. Bartonella and Chlamydia species initially shown cross-reactivity.

Following the invention of the electron microscope, the Warthin Starry stain was used to identify bacteria in afflicted lymph node samples. Bacillary angiomatosis found Warthin-Starry positive bacteria in the 1990s, and it was determined to be the same agent as the control group of cat scratch patients.

For almost 90%-95% this disease can be treated successfully by just managing symptoms using warm compresses, analgesis, and antipyretics.

Individuals in which the disease has spread to other parts of the body may take months or sometimes even a year for recovery.

This depends on the involved system. If the host has a compromised immune system, the prognosis might be worse.

azithromycin 

(Off-label) :

250 mg once daily for four days if you weigh more than 45.5 kg.



azithromycin 

45 kg: 10 mg/kg (maximum dose: 500 mg) orally as a single dosage, followed by 5 mg/kg (maximum 250 mg/dose).
Days 2 through 5: orally every Day
>45 kg: 250 mg once day for 4 days after receiving 500 mg orally.



Dose Adjustments

Dosing Considerations Usage solely to treat illnesses that are positively identified as being brought on by susceptible bacteria to prevent the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria and preserve azithromycin's efficacy.
restrictions on usage
Use with caution in pneumonia patients who may not benefit from oral treatment due to a moderate to severe sickness or risk factors like any of the following:
those who have cystic fibrosis
Nosocomial infection patients
patients with bacteremia, either known or suspected
People that need to be hospitalised
ailing or elderly patients
Individuals who may be less able to respond to their condition if they have serious underlying health issues (including immunodeficiency or functional asplenia)

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482139/

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