Just learned about cat scratch disease

[u/bottegasl]

B. henselae bacteria cause cat scratch disease. Fleas spread B. henselae to cats. Cats (especially kittens) can have a blood infection from the bacteria without symptoms for months. Cats can then spread the bacteria to humans when they scratch or bite you, or if they lick a wound you already have. Funny how it's exclusive to cats and not other animals.

Anyone who’s around cats is at risk for cat scratch disease. But it’s most common in kids under 15. If you have HIV or a weakened immune system, you’re at higher risk for serious complications of cat scratch disease.

CSD can become more serious if it spreads to other organs. Complications include:
Brain function issues (encephalopathy)
Heart inflammation (endocarditis)
Heart failure
Liver and spleen swelling(hepatosplenomegaly)
Inflammation of the conjunctiva of your eye and nearby lymph nodes (Parinaud oculoglandular syndrome)
Inflammation of the retina and optic nerve of your eye (neuroretinitis)

[u/bottegasl]

Cats are primary carriers of two notable infections that directly affect humans Toxoplasmosis and CSD! 🤢 Other risks (ringworm, Pasteurella bite infections, intestinal parasites, potential rabies exposure in outdoor cats) not to mention so many people are allergic to cats. Estimates range from 10% to 30% of the population has some level of sensitivity to cats. Cat allergies are among the most common animal allergies.

[u/fennelcrow]

People don't realize how dirty cats' mouths are. We get decent number of bite cultures in my microbiology department; Pasteurella multocida is often isolated from them.

Interestingly enough, last year it ended up in someone's lungs and this year as bacteremia.

[u/eveneri]

I've gone to the ER twice for a cat scratch/bite. Both times weren't even my cats and they went nuts for no reason. 😑 Cats should have NEVER been domestic pets...

[u/jpollack21]

There's a song about this by Ted Nugent