Infectious Disease Blog

An agitated meow. A quick swipe at your face.

Ouch! You find yourself with an infected wound a couple days later.

Did you ever consider that you may have Cat Scratch Disease?

Cat Scratch Disease is caused by the bacteria Bartonella henselae, according to the CDC. Patients of the disease are people who have been bitten or scratched by a cat and developed a mild infection where they were injured.

According to the CDC, symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease may include:

• Lymph nodes, especially those around the head, neck, and upper limbs, become swollen
• May experience fever, headache, fatigue, and a poor appetite
• Rare complications of B. henselae infection are bacillary angiomatosis and Parinaud’s oculolandular syndrome

For most people, there’s little reason for alarm. The disease is a mild infection that they may not even be aware of having, according to The (Annapolis) Capital.

However, Dr. Edward McSweegan, the writer of that article, brought up that patients with weakened immune systems may face significant problems if they fall ill with the disease.

“That may not be true for HIV patients and others with underlying illnesses or immuno-deficiencies. Among such patients, more serious infections may occur (such as bacillary angiomatosis), and prolonged antibiotic therapy may be necessary to prevent a life-threatening infection and related complications.”

In the ABC’s of infectious diseases, what would the letter Q stand for?

Q is for Q fever.

Q fever is caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii, which is found in animals like cattle, sheep and goats, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. The disease is underreported, making it difficult to estimate the number of cases of Q fever in the U.S.

The MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia gave the following definition:

Q fever is an infection caused by the bacteria Coxiella burnetii, which can affect the lungs, liver, heart, and other parts of the body.

People who work in barnyard settings or in the animal sciences are the most common to become ill with Q fever. They become infected by breathing in airborne particles from the birth fluids or excreta of infected animals.

Some people who become ill with Q fever may not know it, because only about half of these people exhibit symptoms.

Here are some of the symptoms, according to the CDC:

• High fever
• Severe headache
• Fatigue
• Chills & sweats
• Muscle pain
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Sore throat
• Confusion

For most people, the disease is not deadly. Even if untreated, most patients return to normal health in several months.

The CDC, however, believes Coxiella burnetii could be a potential bioterrorism threat. The bacterium is highly infectious and resistant to heat and drying.