Dec 19 2008
Cat Scratch Disease
Cat scratch disease, also known as cat scratch fever, can occur after you are bitten or scratched by a cat. You can also get it if you pet a cat and then rub your eyes. Cat scratch fever is an infection that is transmitted from cats to humans in their saliva. Researchers believe that cats get the bacteria that cause the infection from fleas, but they cannot prove that yet.
Symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease
A sore may develop where the cat scratched or bit you. It may take 3-10 days for the sore to appear. Other symptoms of the infection include: nausea, alternation of your mental state, abdominal pain, chills, a low fever, convulsions, malaise, headaches, back pain, and swollen and painful lymph nodes. It may take one to two weeks or as long as two months for these symptoms to occur.
How Serious Is It?
Cat scratch disease is not usually serious, but it may cause problems for individuals who have weak immune symptoms due to AIDS, diabetes, or individuals who are receiving chemotherapy.
How Is It Treated? In healthy individuals, cat scratch fever does not usually require treatment because it generally goes away on its own. However, if lymph nodes continue to be painful and swollen for more than two or three months, your doctor may opt to drain them to help reduce the pain. Additionally, if a fever lasts several days, your doctor may choose to treat the infection with antibiotics.
If you have fever for several days after a cat scratch or bite or if you notice that you have swollen, painful lymph nodes that do not get better within two or three weeks, please seek medical attention from your doctor.
Please tell me what you think in the comments section below.
Like this? Please share my blog with your favorite social networking site.
Sources:
Wikipedia: Cat Scratch Disease
Family Doctor: Cat Scratch Disease
