![]() ![]() "This can occur at different places on the body depending on where the infection site is, however, the head, neck, and arms are most common," McGaughey says. The lymph nodes become swollen and painful, eventually forming a one-half to two-inch hard mass under the skin. If the infection persists, it makes its way to the lymph nodes about two weeks after the initial exposure. In healthy adults, the immune system typically stops the infection there. The rash develops three to 10 days after the bite, lick, or scratch and usually goes away on its own one to three weeks after developing. The first symptom of cat scratch fever in humans is an easy-to-miss bump, or group of bumps, at the exposure site. "And they then scratch a person, causing a wound that is contaminated with the flea dirt." Cat Scratch Fever Symptoms in Humans "Cats that have fleas carrying the bacteria scratch themselves, causing flea dirt to be present on their claws," Katribe explains. Infected cats transfer the bacteria to people by scratching or biting them, or licking an open wound. Ocular symptoms like eye discharge and inflammation The few cats that are symptomatic, may have the following signs of cat scratch fever, according to Katribe: ![]() Once cats carry the bacteria, they typically show no symptoms. "The cat may become infected with the organism and then can transmit it to another flea, which in turn, may transmit it to another cat." "The process begins with a flea biting a cat and feeding on the cat's blood," explains Erin Katribe, DVM, Medical Director of Best Friends Animal Society. ![]() Less commonly, it's spread by biting parasites like ticks and flies. RELATED: How to Train a Cat Not to Bite, Reasons Cats Bite, and More What Causes Cat Scratch Fever?įleas carry bacteria that causes cat scratch fever. But, this first sign of infection could be hidden in the fold of the skin and missed, he adds. Children between the ages of five and nine, young adults, and those with compromised immune systems are more prone to symptoms and infection, but people of all ages can get sick.Ĭat scratch fever first presents as a bump, or a few bumps, where an infected cat bit, scratched, or licked you, explains Steven McGaughey, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Emergency Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University. What Is Cat Scratch Fever and What Does It Look Like?Ĭat scratch fever (also called cat scratch disease) is an infectious disease in humans caused by the bacteria Bartonella hensela. ![]()
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