Cat scratch disease
Felinosis (from lat. Felinus – feline), “benign lymphoreticulosis” is also used, Mollaret’s granuloma is an infectious disease, which was first described in their writings by scientists A. Debre and K. Fochey in 1932. In 1963 V.I. Chervonskaya, A. Yu. Bekleshov and I.I. Terskikh discovered the causative agent of this disease and mistakenly attributed it to the genus Chlamydia. And only in 1983, P. Yep determined that the bacteria Rochalimea henselae, the causative agents of “cat scratch disease”, belong to the Rickettsiaceae family of the genus Rochalimea.
Cat scratch disease: treatment and symptoms of felinosis
The bacteria that cause felinosis are part of a cat’s microflora. The causative agents of the disease can be found on the paws and claws, in the saliva, and urine of these pets. Cats for a very long time can remain carriers of felinosis, despite the fact that they themselves never suffer from this disease. The consequence of close communication with Barsik can become infection through scratches, bites, or when saliva gets into the mucous membrane of the eye.
It is believed that at least once in its life, every cat is a carrier of felinosis. In rare cases, other animals can become carriers of bacteria – dogs, rodents, birds. Most often they become infected through fleas.
Through damage to the skin, the infection enters the nearest lymph nodes, and then into the blood. The incubation period is usually one to two weeks. The primary symptoms of the disease, depending on the intensity of the manifestation, may not cause much discomfort and even go unnoticed. Among them, redness or inflammation of almost healed skin lesions is most often noted. An increase in regional groups of lymph nodes is possible, accompanied by an allergic rash.
Further development of the disease manifests itself in the spread of infection through the blood (hematogenous) or lymphatic pathways (lymphogenous). The foci of localization of bacteria become inflamed – the regional lymph nodes increase and thicken, the places of damage swell and fester, papules form, and later ulcers appear covered with crusts. In patients with weakened immunity, a severe course of the disease is possible with manifestations of general intoxication of the body – a strong increase in temperature, general weakness and headaches.
The most susceptible to the disease are people under the age of 21. At risk are children and adolescents who love close communication with cats, people with weakened immunity
With timely treatment, felinosis goes away without complications.
Identifying and treating felinosis
Due to the fact that the symptoms of felinosis are similar to other diseases, a laboratory test (bacterial culture with the pathogen antigen) is required to detect the disease, which is carried out at least two weeks after infection.
In the normal course of felinosis, it is not required to treat it.
Otherwise, the application is prescribed for 7-14 days:
- erythromycin (500 mg) – 4 times a day
- doxycycline (100 mg) – 2 times a day
Also used are antihistamines, drugs that eliminate the symptoms of the manifestation of the disease, vitamins. In case of suppuration of the lymph nodes, surgical intervention is required (an incision is made followed by extraction of pus or a puncture is taken). If you are scratched by a cat, it is important to quickly treat the damaged area with disinfectant solutions, ointments.
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