Many of us still do not know what cat scratch fever is. It is but the same as cat scratch disease. The Bartonella bacteria causes the disease. It is commonly contracted by having a cat with Bartonella bacteria bite you or scratch you. Having the saliva of a cat carrying the Bartonella bacteria come in contact with the white portion of your eyes or with an open wound can cause you to have cat scratch disease.

A blister or bump usually appears on the area where the scratch or bite happened. This is cat scratch fever’s earliest sign. Swelling of the lymph nodes known as lymphadenopathy will happen next, about 2-3 weeks after when the scratch or bite has happened. This occurs at the lymph nodes located around the scratch or bite site. These 2 signs are the ones most commonly associated with the disease.

The other common signs and symptom manifested by cat scratch disease includes fatigue. Body discomfort and headache will also be felt. In some cases, fever can also accompany the disease.

A swollen spleen and a ruptured lymph node draining into the skin are the less typical signs and symptoms of the disease. Others include developing a sore throat, loss of appetite and a decrease in weight.

If you want to seek medical help early it requires you to understand these signs and symptoms. The physician may diagnose cat scratch fever if you manifest with the 2 most common signs of the disease. To do this, a physical examination or an ultrasound can be done to detect an enlarged spleen. A very precise method for confirming the presence of Bartonella bacteria is by using the Bartonella henselae IFA test. Lastly, lymph node biopsy can also be utilized.

Medical intervention is not usually given to most cat scratch fever cases. Treatment and medication is not necessary for a person with a high level of immunity and can recover on his own. People with AIDS or who are under chemotherapy because of having cancer on the other hand have a low level of immunity, so an antibiotic regimen like Azithromycin is prescribed for the disease.

Make it a priority to seek medical help at once if you have been bitten or scratched by a cat to prevent such conditions like neuroretinitis, osteomyelitis and encephalopathy from occurring.