SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkBartonellaInfection(CatScratchDisease,TrenchFever,andCarrión’sDisease)SectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicateCatScratchDiseaseFAQsMinusRelatedPagesSwollenlymphnodeinarmpitandcatscratchonhandWhatiscatscratchdisease(CSD)?CatscratchdiseaseisabacterialinfectioncausedbyBartonellahenselaebacteria. Mostinfectionsusuallyoccurafterscratchesfromdomesticorferalcats,especiallykittens.CSDoccurswherevercatsandfleasarefound.Themostcommonsymptomsincludefever;enlarged,tenderlymphnodesthatdevelop1–3weeksafterexposure;andascaborpustuleatthescratchsite.IntheUnitedStates,mostcasesoccurinthefallandwinterandillnessismostcommoninchildrenlessthan15yearsold.Mycatiscompletelyhealthy.Howcanitcarryaninfection?CatsbecomeinfectedwithBartonella(thebacteriathatcausecatscratchdisease)throughfleabitesor,lesscommonly,fightswithotherinfectedcatsorfelinebloodtransfusions. Whilesomecatsbecomeill,mostsimplycarrythebacteriaintheirbloodwithoutgettingsick.SomestudieshavefoundtheBartonellabacteriainthebloodofupto1/3ofhealthycats,particularlykittens.ShouldIgetmypettreatedforBartonella,justtobesafe?Treatmentisnotrecommendedunlessyourpetbecomessick.TreatingBartonellawithantibioticscantakealongtimeandit’sconsideredsaferandmorepracticaltoletthepethandletheinfectionnaturally.Forcatsthatdobecomesick,theillnessusuallyconsistsoffeverfor2-3days,withthecatrecoveringonitsown.Symptomsrequiringveterinarycareincludefever,vomiting,lethargy,redeyes,swollenlymphnodesordecreasedappetite.Mydaughtergotscratchedbytheneighbor’skittenandnowmyhusbandisworriedabout“catscratchdisease.”Howworriedshouldwebe?Mostcatscratchesdonotresultincatscratchdisease,andshortofcleaningthewoundwithsoapandwater,thereisnoparticularactiontotake.Ifyourchilddevelopsafever;enlarged,tenderlymphnodesthatdevelop1–3weeksafterbeingscratched;orapustuleatthescratchsite,pleasetakehertoyourhealthcareprovider. Treatmentwithantibioticsisusuallynotnecessarybutmayhelpreducelymphnodesw