CAT SCRATCH FEVER

What is Cat Scratch Fever?

• Cat Scratch is a type of disease that you can get from a cat.
• (This doesn't mean all cats are dangerous, they're actually really nice)
• 40% of cats carry a bacteria called Bartonella Henselae in their saliva or their fur.
• Cats themselves don't show symptoms of illness and they don't always have the bacteria.
• Kittens are the common carrier of this bacteria.

HOW DOES CSD GET TRANSMITTED? WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?

• Commonly, you get CDS by getting bitten or scratched by a cat with B. Henselae
• A cat could also lick an open wound and transmit it that way
• Your symptoms could be fevers, chills, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, soreness in the lymphs
• pustules may form around the wound
• Mostly transmits to people ages between 2-24, especially during the winter and fall.

What's the cure?

• If it's not severe, recovery should take three weeks.
• Cancer, HIV/AIDS, a low immune system, or transplant patients' mortality rate rises
• If it is a severe case, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic

What can I do to prevent getting CSD?

• Wash your hands frequently
• do not roughhouse with your cat
• Avoid cats, although that's cruelty
• control your cat's fleas
• wash any open wounds after coming into contact with cats

CSD isn't necessarily a pandemic but many cases have appeared, especially since cats are progressively becoming more docile and kept indoors within many people.
Since only cats can transmit this disease, the cases of it becoming a secular pandemic is not a great chance.

Sources

• http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=46695
• http://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/diseases/catscratch.htm
• http://www.2ndchance.info/catscratch.htm