When I was 24 (I’m 63 now) I had cat scratch disease. I was ill for three months and the treatment was anything but pleasant. Now my husband (because we have a lot of mice) brought a cute little kitty. But because of my traumatic experiences, I don’t enjoy it much. I want to know if I am immune to the Bartonella henselae bacteria. Otherwise, we’ll just have to get rid of the kitty.
Female, 63 years
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
Viruses are fairly simple and unambiguously composed ‘critters’ against which you make very specific antibodies. With bacteria, which are composed much more complex, it is more complicated. Much research has been done on the immune responses of Bartonella bacteria.
Whoever has overcome it seems to be really immune to it. According to the RIVM, this is not 100 percent certain, but it has never been registered that someone has contracted cat scratch disease twice. So I would risk it. Mice are nothing.
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