Bartonellosis (cat scratch disease) is caused by bacteria, bartonella henselae, itself transmitted by fleas. 40% of felines are carriers of this bacteria. Until now, it was thought that the disease was transmitted to humans only by scratching, bite of cat or by rubbing the eyes with contaminated hands.
American researchers from Center for Disease Control and Prevention have just discovered that this disease can also infect people who remain exposed for a long time to their animal’s hair.
How does cat scratch disease develop?
A week or two after a scratch, bite, or prolonged contact with the hair of a cat carrying the bacteria, the infection manifests as lymph nodes that can remain for several months. Sometimes redness or a lesion on the skin appears.
Usually mild, the disease resolves without any sequelae. In very rare cases, the condition can cause eye, neurological or heart damage.
Dogs are also carriers of the disease
If the catis the main reservoir of bartonella henselae, dogs can also harbor the bacteria. People most often affected: professionals working in contact with cats (breeders, animal sellers, veterinarians, etc.).
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