Contents:
- Medical Video: The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon by Richard Gale
- Cat scratch fever, a disease that arises from being scratched by a cat
- What are the symptoms of cats infected with bacteria?
- What are the symptoms of paint scratch fever in humans?
- Any treatment for paint scratch fever?
Medical Video: The Horribly Slow Murderer with the Extremely Inefficient Weapon by Richard Gale
Have you ever been scratched by a cat? If so, you may only feel temporary pain and may not think too much about it. It may seem trivial and harmless. However, actual cat scratch can cause disease. Cat scratches or cat bites can cause a disease known as paint scratch fever. This cat-claw disease can cause serious complications. How can?
Cat scratch fever, a disease that arises from being scratched by a cat
Cat scratch fever or also called paint scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection caused by a cat's bite or scratching.
You can experience this disease from bites or scratches of cats infected with bacteriaBartonella henselae. Even this bacterial infection can come from a kitten's bite.
You can also get infected with this disease if saliva from an infected cat enters an open wound or touches the white part of your eye.
In addition, this bacterial infection from cats can be carried by fleas and spread to humans through scratches or bites. This disease cannot be transmitted from human to human.
Cat scratch fever can have serious complications such as heart failure and brain damage when left untreated. Other side effects include headaches, fever, and swollen lymph nodes.
What are the symptoms of cats infected with bacteria?
Cats infected with bacteriaB. henselae generally does not cause symptoms or cause the cat to get sick. This is the reason that you can't always know if the cat is the carrier.
Cats are likely to have these bacteria from infected fleas. In very rare cases, humans can be exposed to bacteria directly from fleas.
What are the symptoms of paint scratch fever in humans?
General symptoms paint scratch fever in humans include:
- lumps or blisters from the place where the bite or cat scratched
- lymph nodes that swell where the bite or clawed by the cat usually occur 1-3 weeks
- fatigue
- headache
- mild fever
- aches
Less common symptoms include:
- loss of appetite
- weight decreases
- sore throat
Rare symptoms can be associated with a more severe version of this disease. These symptoms include:
- back pain
- stomach ache
- joint pain
- rash
- prolonged fever
Lumps or blisters can occur on the skin at the site of infection 3-10 days after exposure. Other symptoms, such as swollen lymph nodes, may not occur for several days or weeks. Swollen lymph glands usually occur between one and three weeks.
Any treatment for paint scratch fever?
Because most cases of scratch paint that occur are mild, doctors will not always prescribe treatment. If the symptoms are moderate to severe, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics.
Home care for conditions includes a few days' rest at home and taking over-the-counter painkillers if the lymph nodes are painful or very soft.
You can also use over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or naproxen sodium to reduce swelling and pain. Hot compresses can also help.
To relieve very tight and painful glands, your doctor can insert the needle into it gently and drain the fluid.
If you have a problem with your immune system or your symptoms have not disappeared in two months, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. This can prevent the infection from spreading elsewhere in your body, such as your liver or bones. You may need to take this medicine for several months.
