Cat scratch fever CSF also known as cat scratch disease CSD occurs when you are bitten or scratched by a cat. It is the bacteria by name Bartonella nenselae that causes CSF. The person would develop mild infection at the spot where the cat has scratched. Once the bacteria enter into your bloodstream, it causes swelling of lymph nodes of head, neck and limbs. Lymphadenopathy is the term given for swollen lymph nodes. This fever is commonly seen in children and adolescents. Cat scratch fever is also known as cat scratch oculoglandular syndrome, Debre’s syndrome, cat scratch Adenitis, Parinaud’s syndrome and Petzetakis syndrome.
Effects of CSF :
A person affected with cat scratch fever will develop swelling of lymph nodes. It occurs within one to three weeks after the injury. Lymphadenopathy occurs either in single node or group of lymph nodes affecting the nodes of the anterior or posterior triangles present in the neck. More than 60% of the affected people would develop swelling in their neck region. Normally the swelling may last for 8-12 months. In case it if persist for more than a year, it has to be drained by needle aspiration.
About 2-3% of the cases may develop encephalopathy causing swelling of lymph nodes in the brain. The person may develop loss of concentration, impaired judgment and in rare cases may develop coma. Cat scratch fever can also affect your eyes causing neuroretinitis. It causes reduced visual acuity and reduction of color vision and in extreme cases loss of vision. People who have weakened immunity developing CSF can develop bacillary angiomatasis causing skin lesions.
Causes :
The bacterium B. nenselae causes cat scratch fever. It is a gram negative microbe causing infection in cats. It is believed to get transmitted through flea which bites the cat passing on the bacteria. The affected cat would then bite or scratch the person and pass on the infection through saliva or claws.