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Cat Scratch Disease also called Cat Scratch Fever
By: Alfred


Cat Scratch Disease, sometimes called Cat Scratch Fever, is
an infection caused by bacteria called Batonella Henselae.
The carrier of the bacteria is the cat flea. Once the cat or
kitten becomes infected with the bacteria it will then live
in the cat's saliva for months.

This particular type of bacteria can be found all parts of
the world. More cases of Cat Scratch Fever are diagnosed
during the fall and winter months. On average in the United
States twenty-two thousand people are diagnosed every year,
and most of them are children are under the age of twenty-
one years.

Children are believed to be more likely to be infected
because they are more likely to play with a cat or kitten
and be scratched or bitten, and they have weaker immune
systems and fewer antibodies.

The cat saliva, and so the disease, can be transferred to a
person through a scratch, bite or lick of an infected cat or
kitten. Ninety percent of the people who contract the
disease have come into contact with a cat or kitten.

The most likely carriers of cat scratch disease are kittens under
the age of one year because they have immature immune
systems. It is suspected by experts that half the world
population of cats has been infected with these particular
bacteria at one time in their lives.

The bacteria doesn't appear to make the cat or kitten sick,
but when a human contracts Cat Scratch Disease it causes
swelling of the lymph nodes or glands that are nearest to
the entrance site of the bacteria and other flu-like
symptoms.

See our article "Symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease" for more
information.

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