CSD is caused by a bacterium called Bartonella henselae. About 40% of cats carry B. henselae at some time in their lives, although most cats with this infection​ ...SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkHealthyPets,HealthyPeopleSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateCat-ScratchDiseaseMinusRelatedPages(BartonellahenselaeInfection)OverviewPreventionAvailableTests&TreatmentsMoreInformationAnenlargedlymphnodeinthearmpitregionofapersonwithcat-scratchdisease,andpartiallyhealedwoundsfromacatscratchonthehand.Cat-scratchdisease(CSD)isabacterialinfectionspreadbycats.Thediseasespreadswhenaninfectedcatlicksaperson’sopenwound,orbitesorscratchesapersonhardenoughtobreakthesurfaceoftheskin.Aboutthreeto14daysaftertheskinisbroken,amildinfectioncanoccuratthesiteofthescratchorbite.Theinfectedareamayappearswollenandredwithround,raisedlesionsandcanhavepus.ApersonwithCSDmayalsohaveafever,headache,poorappetite,andexhaustion.Later,theperson’slymphnodesneartheoriginalscratchorbitecanbecomeswollen,tender,orpainful.Washcatbitesandscratcheswellwithsoapandrunningwater.Donotallowcatstolickyourwounds.Contactyourdoctorifyoudevelopanysymptomsofcat-scratchdiseaseorinfection.CSDiscausedbyabacteriumcalledBartonellahenselae.About40%ofcatscarryB.henselaeatsometimeintheirlives,althoughmostcatswiththisinfectionshowNOsignsofillness.Kittensyoungerthan1yeararemorelikelytohaveB.henselaeinfectionandtospreadthegermtopeople.Kittensarealsomorelikelytoscratchandbitewhiletheyplayandlearnhowtoattackprey.HowcatsandpeoplebecomeinfectedKittenplayingwithaperson'sfingers.CatscangetinfectedwithB.henselaefromfleabitesandfleadirt(droppings)gettingintotheirwounds.Byscratchingandbitingatthefleas,catspickuptheinfectedfleadirtundertheirnailsandbetweentheirteeth.Catscanalsobecomeinfectedbyfightingwithothercatsthatareinfected.Thegermspreadstopeoplewheninfectedcatsbiteorscratchapersonhardenoughtobreaktheirskin.Thegermcanalsospreadwheninfectedcatslickatwoundsorscabsthatyoumayhave.Ser