News > Top Stories
Pet Talk
At risk for cat scratch disease: Keep an eye on kids, kittens
An adorable kitten shows up on the front door step and your young daughter falls instantly in love. They become inseparable playmates. A few weeks later while helping her get dressed for school, you notice a red bump on her arm inside what appears to be a scratch mark. A week later, you discover a lump under her arm.
A scenario like this could mean your child has contracted cat scratch disease, a condition that is not serious in most cases unless you have an impaired immunity resistance to disease, says Dr. John August, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University.
"Cat scratch disease is a disease of people rather than cats, and is caused by an organism that lives in the blood stream of some cats," August says. "It is transmitted to people by scratches, and from cat to cat by fleas."
People can become infected with the organism when a cat's claw is infected with flea dirt or flea droppings, which is the excretion of fleas, and that contaminated material is inoculated into a scratch, according to August.
Cat scratch disease is almost always caused through scratches and not bites, says August, so the most important way to prevent this disease in people is good flea control.
"A combination of newer topical insecticides applied monthly and year-round is recommended for effective flea control," August says, "and in houses that are already infected, people should ask their exterminator to do a flea control program."
August adds that in warm parts of the world like the southwest, between 25 and 40 percent of cats are infected with the organism known as Bartonella henselae, which is the most common cause of cat scratch disease.
"Fortunately, although lots of cats are infected, the incidences of cat scratch disease in people are quite uncommon," August explains.
"So, many people get scratched without ever contracting the illness." The people who are most likely to get the illness are:
People who handle cats a lot, like veterinarians
Children who play with kittens who have fleas
People who have impaired immunity and resistance to disease, such as HIV or someone undergoing cancer chemotherapy.
Typical signs and symptoms of cat scratch disease include a pustule or reddening within the scratch about a week or so after the scratch; and within the next week or 10 days, the lymph glands nearest to the scratch become enlarged and tender, says August. Some people will have flu-like symptoms such as fever and muscle aches.
"Anybody who thinks they might have cat scratch disease should see their physician to get advice about treatment," recommends August.
"The symptoms will go away by themselves in most people, but antibiotics are available to help shorten the duration of the illness."
August recommends that people continue to enjoy cats as pets, but to also remember that good flea control is an important wellness procedure for any cat.
"Good flea control will minimize the chances of this disease happening in people," August stresses.
"Also, if somebody has a very impaired immunity to disease, for example is on cancer chemotherapy or is infected with HIV, and wants to adopt a new cat, they should talk to their veterinarian about what cat would be safest for them since this disease and other diseases are more severe in people who have poor immunity."
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed online at http://rev.tamu.edu/pettalk.
A scenario like this could mean your child has contracted cat scratch disease, a condition that is not serious in most cases unless you have an impaired immunity resistance to disease, says Dr. John August, a professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences at Texas A&M University.
"Cat scratch disease is a disease of people rather than cats, and is caused by an organism that lives in the blood stream of some cats," August says. "It is transmitted to people by scratches, and from cat to cat by fleas."
People can become infected with the organism when a cat's claw is infected with flea dirt or flea droppings, which is the excretion of fleas, and that contaminated material is inoculated into a scratch, according to August.
Cat scratch disease is almost always caused through scratches and not bites, says August, so the most important way to prevent this disease in people is good flea control.
"A combination of newer topical insecticides applied monthly and year-round is recommended for effective flea control," August says, "and in houses that are already infected, people should ask their exterminator to do a flea control program."
August adds that in warm parts of the world like the southwest, between 25 and 40 percent of cats are infected with the organism known as Bartonella henselae, which is the most common cause of cat scratch disease.
"Fortunately, although lots of cats are infected, the incidences of cat scratch disease in people are quite uncommon," August explains.
"So, many people get scratched without ever contracting the illness." The people who are most likely to get the illness are:
Typical signs and symptoms of cat scratch disease include a pustule or reddening within the scratch about a week or so after the scratch; and within the next week or 10 days, the lymph glands nearest to the scratch become enlarged and tender, says August. Some people will have flu-like symptoms such as fever and muscle aches.
"Anybody who thinks they might have cat scratch disease should see their physician to get advice about treatment," recommends August.
"The symptoms will go away by themselves in most people, but antibiotics are available to help shorten the duration of the illness."
August recommends that people continue to enjoy cats as pets, but to also remember that good flea control is an important wellness procedure for any cat.
"Good flea control will minimize the chances of this disease happening in people," August stresses.
"Also, if somebody has a very impaired immunity to disease, for example is on cancer chemotherapy or is infected with HIV, and wants to adopt a new cat, they should talk to their veterinarian about what cat would be safest for them since this disease and other diseases are more severe in people who have poor immunity."
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed online at http://rev.tamu.edu/pettalk.
Copyright © 2010 - Green Valley News and Sun