Cat scratch disease (CSD or cat scratch fever) is a syndrome caused by the Bartonella henselae bacteria, which is transmitted via a cat scratch, lick, or bite.homeinfectionscenterTopicGuideCatScratchDisease(CSDorCatScratchFever)MedicalAuthor:CharlesPatrickDavis,MD,PhDMedicalEditor:MelissaConradStöppler,MDReviewedon5/15/2020DefinitionCatScratchDiseaseFactsBacteriaWhatCausesCatScratchDisease?CatScratchorBiteWhatAreRiskFactorsforCatScratchDisease?SymptomsWhatAreSignsandSymptomsofCatScratchDisease?WhenShouldSomeoneSeekMedicalCareforCatScratchDisease?WhatSpecialistsTreatCatScratchDisease?DiagnosisWhatExamsandTestsDoPhysiciansUsetoDiagnoseCatScratchDisease?TreatmentWhatAreCatScratchDiseaseTreatments?ComplicationsWhatAreCatScratchDiseaseComplications?Follow-upforCatScratchDiseasePrognosisWhatIsthePrognosisofCatScratchDisease?PreventionHowCanPeoplePreventCatScratchDisease?GuideCatScratchDiseaseTopicGuideDoctor'sNotesonCatScratchDiseaseSymptomsCatScratchDiseaseFactsCatscratchfeverisatypicallymildviralillnesstransmittedbythebiteorscratchofacat.Catscratchdisease(CSD)isasyndromethatbeginsusuallywithred,tenderpapulesorpustulesatasitewhereapetcat(usuallyakitten)hasscratched,licked,orsuperficiallybittenaperson.Theinfectionlaterprogressestopainfulregionallymphnodes(whichmaybefeltassmallbumpsundertheskin)overonetothreeweeks.Asignificantpercentageofaffectedpatientsdevelopalow-gradefever(about101F).Afewinvestigatorssuggestfleasoncatsmayalsotransmitthediseaseunderspecialcircumstances(forexample,crushedcatfleamaterialsgetintoaskinbreak).AlthoughH.Parinauddescribedthisconditionin1889,R.Debrein1931wasthefirsttodescribecatsasvectors(carriers)ofthediseaseandtermedtheconditionascatscratchdisease.Mostcasesoccurinthefallandwintermonths.Investigatorsspeculatethistimingmaybeduetothehighnumberofmidsummerkittenbirths.ThebacteriaresponsibleforthediseaseareBartonellahenselae;recently,twootherorganisms(AfipiafelisandBartonellaclarridgeiae)havealsobeenimplicatedinproducingCSD,butinvestigatorsarestillg