Health and Safety
Posted on Wednesday, September 19 @ 17:17:59 BST by jenvetadmin
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Cat Scratch Fever.
HAVE YOU OR A COLLEAGUE BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS? PLEASE LET US KNOW IN THE FORUMS AND WE CAN ALL COMPARE NOTES.
Cat Scratch Fever as you may be aware is caused by a bacterium passed on via a cat scratch.
The bacterium called Bartonella henselae it is spread by fleas.
Cats transmit the organism when they are have fleas, scratch themselves, and get infected flea dirt in their claws, and scratch with their infected claws.
Cats can also harbor Bartonella in their mouths and transmit the infection via bites or groom their feet and self-infect their claws.
Infection with Bartonella henselae in the immunocompetent person leads to “cat scratch disease.” The affected area - bite or scratch develops a small red bump, around 2-3 weeks following contact with the infected cat, the lymph node in the area of the contact will enlarge and become painful a fever then develops.
These signs generally resolve without medical intervention and the condition is usually minor.
If the affected person has poor immunity more serious syndromes can occur.
The infection can cause spleen enlargement, and potentially encephalitis, heart valve infection, and other conditions. These syndromes are rare and usually in those immunocompetent.
Because fleas carry the bacteria, cats with insufficient flea control are at highest risk. This means cats living in climates that are warm and humid (conditions fleas thrive best in) are most likely to be infected.
If conditions are right, up to 40% of cats in an area may be infected. If a person is diagnosed with cat scratch disease, there is a 90% chance that the cats they own will be found infected as well.
There are 5 tests available to detect Bartonella henselae: ELISA, IFA, PCR, Culture, and Western Blot. The ELISA, IFA, and Western Blot tests are tests for antibody detection.
Treatment - Azithromycin which clears 83% of infected cats. The course of treatment is approximately 3 weeks. Other antibiotics have been less promising.
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