What are the symptoms of cat scratch disease?
Cat scratch game how to#
Kittens are also more likely to scratch than older cats, as they learn how to catch prey. Their immune system then gets rid of it, so they no longer have it when they are older.
This is because, although most cats are likely to pick up the germ that causes it at some point, they are most likely to be infected with it when they are kittens. It seems that it is more likely to follow a scratch from a kitten than from a cat. This may be because they are more likely to play with a cat or kitten in a way that encourages it to scratch them. It was more frequent in people who lived in the Southern USA, where cat fleas are more common as it is warmer.Īnyone can get it, but it particularly affects children aged 5-9. In a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the USA, it was estimated that one person out of every 20,000 to 25,000 seeks medical advice for cat scratch disease every year. Who gets cat scratch disease?Ĭat scratch disease is quite rare. Some people think it can be caught from other animals such as dogs and rabbits, but this hasn't been proven. It is possible they have caught it from an infected cat flea. Very occasionally the affected person doesn't remember any contact with a cat. Most people who get cat scratch disease have caught it from a cat and can remember a scratch, bite or a lick from a cat in the previous week to two months. They can also catch it directly from an infected cat if they have been fighting. They catch it from fleas that have picked it up from another cat. It doesn't cause them any problems at all, except very rarely. henselae at some point in their lives, usually when they are kittens less than a year old. Most cats in the world are infected by B. It used to be called Rochalimaea henselae.
Cat scratch disease is caused by a germ (bacterium) called Bartonella henselae ( B.
0 kommentar(er)
