Cat scratch disease: It’s rare, but a UH study says Hawaii kids are more vulnerable
Symptoms include fever and swollen lymph nodes. UH and Kapiolani Medical Center doctors studied 18 children who got severe reactions.
“These were children who had infections of their spleen, liver, meningitis, encephalitis. involvement of their eye. Some even developed bone lesions so it was a significant illness in these children,” said Dr. Jessica Kosut, a pediatric hospitalist.
Sarah Pacheco got a mild form of the illness years ago when her new kitten, Kipling, scratched her arm.
“I had just gotten a kitten and they play and you are bound to get scratched, but I noticed I lost my voice completely,” she said.
Cat scratch disease is still rare. Doctors think Hawaii’s humid climate, outdoor lifestyle and higher feral cat population could be partly to blame.
“I don’t think it’s cats that are in people’s homes, but it can be, but a couple of the children that we took care of described playing with cats that were out in the neighborhood and one child was hiding cats in his closet to keep them a secret from his mother,” said Dr. Kosut.
Doctors say cat scratch disease is treatable. Just make sure your cat doesn’t have fleas and doesn’t play with feral cats, and you don’t have to kick out your kitty.
“I’m definitely a fan of cats and I wouldn’t say that this should discourage anyone from getting cats or adopting cats. I just want providers to be aware of it,” said Dr. Johnson.
And cats aren’t the only things transmitting it.
http://townsendletter.com/July2015/bartonellosis0715_3.html
Mode of Transmission: Arthropod vectors including fleas and flea feces, biting flies such as sand flies and horn flies, the human body louse, mosquitoes, and ticks; through bites and scratches of reservoir hosts; and potentially from needles and syringes in the drug addicted. Needle stick transmission to veterinarians has been reported. There is documentation that cats have received it through blood transfusion. 3.2% of blood donors in Brazil were found to carry Bartonella in their blood. Bartonella DNA has been found in dust mites. Those with arthropod exposure have an increased risk, as well as those working and living with pets that have arthropod exposure. 28% of veterinarians tested positively for Bartonella compared with 0% of controls. About half of all cats may be infected with Bartonella – as high as 80% in feral cats and near 40% of domestic cats. In various studies dogs have close to a 50% rate as well. Evidence now suggests it may be transmitted congenitally from mother to child – potentially leading to birth defects.
- infections of their spleen & liver
- meningitis
- encephalitis
- involvement of the eye
- bone lesions
Because, these are the things crossing my desk on a daily basis.
Bartonella is prolific, tenacious, and can cause severe illness, and many LLMD’s consider it a major coinfection of Lyme.
- Heart involvement –
- Eye involvement –
- Neurological involvement –
- Skull & bone infections –
- Thoracic involvement –
- Cancer
https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2019/01/02/bartonella-langerhans-cell-histiocytosis-cancer/
- Chronic abdominal pain, esophageal heartburn, purpuric skin rash, mesenteric adenitis (swollen lymph nodes inside the abdomen)
https://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/images/NewDirectory/Studies-Papers/Fried_Bartonella-2002.pdf
- Granulomas & bony lesions
- Rheumatological involvement –
https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/05/09/rheumatological-presentation-of-bartonella-koehlerae-henselae-a-case-report-chiropractors-please-read/ Please note the joint popping with each articulation and continual joint subluxation issue.
- Can turn off antibodies to Lyme, Babesia, Ehrlichia, Anaplasma, and even itself –
http://www.townsendletter.com/July2009/ed_lyme0709.html Dr. Shaller feels that due to this, Bartonella should be considered in ALL initial consults.
I’m going to stop at this point as I’m growing weary. The question begs to be asked:
Does this look rare to you?
Madison Area Lyme Support Group 