Bartonella henselae (formerly Rochalimaea) Infection:
Cat-scratch disease (CSD) was first described by DebrT in 1950. Groves & Harrington (1994) analyzes more recent research involving the disease's epidemiology, microbiology, etiology, and outcome. CSD is typically transmitted by cats. It results from dermal inoculation of the gram-negative bacteria, Bartonella henselae. In most cases, CSD symptoms progress to a subacute, regional lymphadenopathy. The disease is usually self-limiting.
According to Abbasi & Chesney (1995), considerable progress has been made in recent decades towards understanding CSD (1:547). The causative organism, B. henselae, has been isolated and identified. In addition, this microorganism may also cause several other cat-associated disorders.
Groves & Harrington (1994) begins by describing the various diseases which may be caused by B. henselae. These include bacillary angiomatosis, bacillary peliosis, and relapsing bacteremia. The article, however, primarily addresses the different aspects of CSD. It has been estimated that in 1986 alone there were approximately 6,000 CSD cases. Moreover, the disorder's incidence may actually be even greater. In the United States, one third of all households contain roughly 60 million pet cats. As Koehler et al. (1994) notes, a large number of humans are therefore at risk for B. henselae infection (5:531-535). In fact, while working at a veterinary hospital, I developed the disease myself.
Cat-scratch disease usually manifests as a mild, self-limiting disorder that does not recur. Chen & Gilbert (1994) discusses how CSD typically begins with the formation of a papule at the site of inoculation 4 to 6 days after animal contact. This papule then progresses to a pustule. Eventually, within 7 to 50 days subsequent to papule formation, a regional lymphadenopathy may develop. Affected nodes are usually located in the head, neck, and upper extr
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