- Humans catch scratch fever by being bitten or scratched by a cat. Cats catch the disease from fleas carrying the Bartonella henselae bacteria. Many cats are carriers of the bacteria, but will show no signs of illness. If a cat passes this bacteria onto a human via a bite or scratch, it does not need to be put down. Symptoms in people can include swollen lymph nodes, fever, fatigue and loss of appetite.
- Stay away from cats you do not know. Do not pick up stray or non-family cats. Avoid playing rough with cats and respect their wishes when they signal an unwillingness to play. Wash your hands after playing with cats. When bitten or scratched, wash the affected area immediately to remove the bacteria. Keep fleas out of your cats environment by vacuuming floors, cleaning bedding and treating cats with flea medication.
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Doctors look for swollen lymph nodes and conduct blood tests to verify the illness. In most cases, cat scratch fever heals without treatment within three weeks. If the lymph nodes become too large or painful, fluid may have to be drawn out by needle in a procedure similar to drawing blood. Antibiotics can also be used to treat the disease. Use warm moist compresses and ibuprofen or acetaminophen to alleviate pain
For cats, the vet will prescribe Azithromyicin for three weeks. - While cats can pass the fever among themselves, human cannot contract it from another person. Multiple person can be infected by one animal at the same time; most often, outbreaks occur as the result of improperly handling kittens. Once you contract cat scratch fever, you become immune to it for the remainder of your life.
- Call a doctor if the wound does not begin to heal after four weeks, the redness around the affected area spreads rather than recedes and/or you develop a fever that lasts for more than several days. If you have HIV or are receiving treatments for cancer, you are particularly susceptible to complications from cat scratch fever.
