The cat scratched her hand using folk remedies. Cat scratches and bites

And scratch. For some owners, scratches do not pose any danger, but for others they cause a serious complication - felinosis, or cat scratch disease. What kind of disease this is and how it is dangerous for people, we will tell you in our article.

Causes and routes of human infection

A person becomes infected through close contact with a cat during play (scratches, bites).

As a result of numerous studies, it was found that most cats are carriers of the microbial bacillus Bartonella, the causative agent of bartonellosis. The disease is zoonotic, that is, both animals and people suffer from it.

Bartonella, constantly circulating in the blood of animals, for the most part does not cause any clinical signs in pets (with rare exceptions), while cats are carriers of a dangerous infection.

A person becomes infected through close contact with an animal when it scratches or bites the owner during play. There have also been cases of infection when a cat licked its owner in places with open wounds or scratches.

Risk group

According to statistics, young children, as well as adolescents, boys and girls under 21 years of age, are susceptible to the disease.

People can also become infected:

with weakened immunity;
those suffering from chronic diseases;
HIV-infected;
having problems with the cellular immune response;
taking hormones or steroids for a long time;
experiencing constant stress.

It was also noticed that owners of kittens become infected tens of times more often than owners of adult cats.

In more rare cases, an outbreak occurs within a family, when all household members, one after another, notice unpleasant symptoms of the disease within a month. By the way, a person cannot become infected from a person.

Manifestation of disease in humans

The incubation period, that is, the period from the penetration of the pathogen into the body until the appearance of the first clinical signs, can last several weeks. In this case, the scratch seems to have healed, but again makes itself felt by the inflammatory process:

suppuration;
bloating;
the presence of a bubble filled with cloudy liquid.

The mechanism of disease development is as follows:

from the site of injury, the rod penetrates the lymphatic system;
from there, through the blood and lymph flow, it enters the nearby lymph node;
this in turn becomes inflamed and increases in size, leading to a painful reaction.

In addition to enlarged and painful lymph nodes, the patient feels exhausted, suffers from headaches, and the temperature may rise. The most interesting thing is that the symptoms go away as unexpectedly as they began: at one point the person feels absolutely healthy.

In very rare cases, the disease takes on a generalized character, when almost all lymph nodes are affected: they are several times enlarged, painful and inflamed, in some cases purulent inflammation occurs.

In addition, damage to the liver and spleen, the nervous system is possible (signs of inflammation of the brain, radiculitis, etc. appear).

In cases where the stick gets into a person’s eye, for example, with a cat’s saliva, a one-sided condition develops:

mucous membrane is red and swollen;
small bubbles are visible on the cornea;
the regional lymph node located in the ear area reaches enormous sizes;
the lymph node becomes suppurated and bursts, forming fistulas on the skin.

Diagnosis and treatment methods

To confirm the diagnosis, laboratory methods are used to identify the pathogen.

Making a diagnosis is not difficult. Suspicion of felinosis (cat scratch disease) arises after collecting an anamnesis, when the time that has passed since the last contact with the cat has been established for certain.

The diagnosis is confirmed by the laboratory, where scrapings from the site of injury, puncture from lymph nodes, and blood are sent to detect and identify the pathogen.

Unfortunately, today there are no antibiotics that would act on bortanella, and some of them even have a negative effect on the course of the disease. Therefore, treatment comes down to symptomatic therapy and taking immunostimulants. In most cases, self-recovery occurs, after which the person acquires stable immunity and is not in danger of re-infection.

Prevention

To prevent the development of the disease, it must be prevented, that is, the necessary hygiene measures must be taken immediately after a bite or scratch:

The wound is thoroughly soaped and washed with plenty of water. This must be done as carefully as possible in order to remove as many microbes as possible from the surface of the skin and the site of injury.
After this, the scratch is treated with a disinfectant solution: miramistin, alcohol solution, etc. By the way, the wound can always be filled with 3% hydrogen peroxide, which kills pathogenic microorganisms almost 100%.
Additionally, iodine or a solution of brilliant green is applied to the damaged area.

Bortenellosis in cats

It was already written above that cats for the most part are only carriers of the infection, while they themselves do not experience any discomfort. If there are clinical signs in some pets, they are blurred and smoothed out, appear periodically and just as suddenly disappear.

During the illness, almost all systems of the body are affected, especially the hematopoietic organs.

Symptoms include:

swollen lymph nodes;
the appearance of ulcers in the mouth;
lack of appetite;
depression and weakness;
emaciation;
dyspnea;
conjunctivitis;
signs of heart and digestive system disease.

If bortnellosis is suspected, the following is carried out:

or bacteriological culture of biological fluids;
or instrumental diagnostic methods: ELISA, PCR.

All manipulations are aimed at isolating the infectious agent or detecting its genome.

To prevent disease in cats, there is only one single rule: killing fleas on the animal’s body using special drops or tablets.

Felinosis in humans does not occur so often and is certainly not a fatal disease to become a stumbling point in people’s communication with such charming and cute creatures as our beloved cats. Take care of yourself and those you have tamed!

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Update: October 2018

A cat is not only a source of affection and relief from a bad mood naturally, without taking any herbs or pills. This relative of wild predators, especially at a young age, through his bite or scratch can transmit felinosis - cat scratch disease. This disease has a long course, accompanied by inflammation and sometimes suppuration of the lymph nodes near the scratched area. If at the time of infection the person’s immunity was not suppressed by the disease or medications, the disease passes without complications. Otherwise, complications from the liver, brain and spleen may occur.

About the causative agent of the disease

Felinosis is caused by a very unusual bacterium - Bartonella henselae. This is an intermediate form between a bacterium and a virus: in shape it does not differ from a bacterium and even has a flagellum; destroyed by antibiotics. But, like a virus, it lives inside a cell and is grown not on nutrient media, but on living cells. Its “cousins,” Rickettsia, are the causative agents of many diseases, including typhus, a pathology that appears in some people who have lice on their heads.

The name of the disease, felinosis, comes from the word “Felis,” which is the Latin name for cats. The “name” of the bacterium – Bartonella hensele – was given to it in honor of the microbiologist who discovered the microbe and described its properties, Diana Hensel.

How and from whom do they get infected?

The bulk of Bartonella “lives” in the body of domestic and wild cats. The bacterium is transmitted to each other by cat fleas, in whose intestines the microbe lives for up to 9 days. These insects are not dangerous to humans.

According to statistics, almost half of cats have this pathogen in their blood, and the animals do not experience any symptoms of the disease, although they have been sick for several years. There is even an opinion that this bacterium normally inhabits the mouth of cats. They excrete the bacterium in their urine and saliva, from where it ends up on the cats' paws.

Therefore, you can become infected:

when bitten by an animal;
through damage from a cat's claw;
through contact with saliva in the eye (on the conjunctiva) or on damaged skin;
if the water/food that the cat drank came into contact with mucous membranes or injured skin;
if there is an injection with a fishing hook, a splinter or thorns of plants on which the cat’s saliva has come into contact.

The most dangerous in terms of contagiousness are kittens that are not yet 1 year old. Adult cats are slightly less dangerous. But dogs, monkeys, and rodents can also become a source of infection. You can even become infected by pricking yourself with a hedgehog needle or a bird feather.

Usually affected:

hands;
skin of legs;
head;
face;
rarely - eyes.

A person cannot infect a person. And someone who has had felinosis once will not develop the disease again. 5% of people are immune to felinosis (of which 25% are owners of domestic cats).

Some statistics

In temperate climates, infections most often occur from September to March (almost 2/3 of all cases). This is explained by closer human contact with pets during the cold season. There is no seasonality in the tropics.

About 90% of cases are children and adolescents under 20 years of age. Boys get sick more often. Family outbreaks are rare: usually only 1 child gets sick, although everyone has played with the same kitten.

What increases the chance of a more severe course of felinosis

A person who has come into contact with Bartonella hensele develops a severe or even atypical form of felinosis in the following situations:

available congenital pathology cellular immunity;
after a serious illness or surgery;
when you need to take glucocorticoids (for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, autoimmune hepatitis, psoriasis, and so on);
after treatment with cytostatic drugs (cyclophosphamide, cyclosporine, azathioprine);
in persons who abuse alcohol;
in patients diabetes mellitus;
in HIV-infected people.

In the latter case, felinosis is very severe and long-lasting; sometimes its manifestations are so atypical that they don’t even think about this diagnosis.

How does the disease manifest itself?

A scratch or site of a cat bite heals slowly for the first 3-10 days, without causing any concern on the part of the person: it may hurt a little or irritate, like a regular skin injury. This is the incubation period; At this time, the pathogen overcomes the barriers of the integumentary tissue and multiplies. This period can extend up to 3 weeks, then at the time the first symptoms of felinosis appear, skin trauma no longer exists.

After the time it takes for the microbe to penetrate and accumulate (3 days to 3 weeks, on average 7-14 days), a rash appears in the place where there was a scratch or where a crust remains. It looks like several nodules the size of a millet grain to a pea, which do not itch or hurt.

After 2-3 days, the period of the height of the disease begins: such nodules fester and open up on their own, after which they become covered with a crust and may begin to itch slightly (especially if a child with allergies has been scratched). Within 1-3 weeks, the crusts dry and fall off, after which the bite site ceases to be noticeable: there are no scars or darker areas of skin left. This means that Bartonella has multiplied in sufficient quantities, overcome the local immunity of the skin area and entered the lymphatic system.

After 10-14 days (less often - longer) from the moment the first nodules appear, the microbe is caught by regional lymph nodes - local filters that try to prevent it from passing further.

If the arm below the elbow was bitten, one or more groups of lymph nodes enlarge: elbow, axillary, cervical. The order in which lymphadenitis appears may be exactly this, but the axillary nodes may immediately enlarge, while the ulnar nodes remain unchanged. Also, starting from the axillary fossa, the lymph nodes will enlarge if the forearm or shoulder is damaged by claws or teeth.

If the bite/scratch is on the leg, the lymph nodes in the femoral and groin area become inflamed. When the face is scratched, the submandibular, anterior or posterior ear groups may be the first to react; after which one or more lymph nodes from the cervical group enlarge.

Signs that indicate that the lymph nodes are damaged due to felinosis:

lymph nodes gradually increase, reaching from 5 to 10 cm in diameter;
they are dense;
it hurts to feel them;
the skin over them is not red or hot to the touch;
lymph nodes can be moved - they do not pull the skin along with them;
when enlarging the entire group of nodes, probing them, you can “roll” them independently of each other: they are not soldered together.

Enlarged lymph nodes are accompanied by a deterioration in the person’s general condition. The following symptoms appear:

fever, sometimes up to 39°C or higher;
headache;
malaise;
weakness;
poor sleep;
sweating;
loss of appetite;
heartbeat.

Not everyone’s temperature rises to such high numbers: in some cases, it may be completely absent. The increase in temperature lasts from a week to a month, other symptoms gradually disappear within 2 weeks. Lymph nodes remain enlarged for up to three months. In half of the cases they suppurate and can spontaneously open: then thick yellow-green pus is released to the surface, which, when taken for bacteriological research, does not show signs of bacterial infection (as you remember, Bartonella does not grow on nutrient media).

During the same period, a reddish rash may appear on the skin of a person’s body or limbs, occupying larger or smaller areas of the skin. It does not itch or hurt and disappears after a few days.

During the period of lymph node enlargement, the following may also be observed:

discomfort and pain in the right hypochondrium - this is an enlargement of the liver, which is also a filter on the way of Bartonella, which by this time has entered the blood;
a feeling of “needles” or discomfort in the left hypochondrium: this may indicate an enlarged spleen, which can also be affected by felinosis. Enlargement of the liver and spleen can also be detected on an ultrasound scan of the abdominal cavity, without being accompanied by any symptoms;
heart pain, arrhythmias. These are signs of heart damage;
enlargement of lymph nodes located far from the site of infection.

The above symptoms of cat scratch disease occur in people whose immunity is not active enough and allows the infection to enter the blood. In those people who are called “immunocompromised” (who have received drugs that suppress the immune system, suffer from diabetes mellitus, congenital immunodeficiency, HIV, chronic alcoholism), felinosis proceeds completely atypically. In them, the infection can remain in the body forever, causing chronic disease.

Usually the disease ends a month or a little less after the first lymph node enlarges: the temperature drops, the headache goes away, sleep and appetite are restored, the lymph nodes gradually decrease in size and become dense little “balls” that are not fused to each other and the skin. Very rarely, with moderately weak immunity, felinosis can last 1-2 years, when its symptoms either subside or reappear.

Atypical forms of the disease

This term is called:

a disease that occurs in response to a microbe entering a place other than the skin (for example, the conjunctiva of the eye);
Bartonellosis organ damage, characteristic only of people with “compromised” immunity.

Atypical forms are not complications of felinosis; they are a severe, atypical current infection.

Eye damage

If a cat's saliva gets on the conjunctiva of the eye, it may develop:

Conjunctivitis Parilo. In this case, only one eye is affected. It is red, swollen, and difficult to open. It doesn’t hurt, and nothing comes out of it. Upon examination, the ophthalmologist will see nodules and ulcers on the conjunctiva.

Simultaneously with the damage to the eye, the parotid lymph nodes on the same side become inflamed. The anterior auricular node is always affected: it grows to 5 cm or more, can suppurate and open, after which a scar forms. The submandibular and cervical lymph nodes may also enlarge. At the same time, the general condition worsens: weakness, palpitations appear, body temperature rises, and sleep deteriorates.

Neuroretinitis. At the same time, vision in one eye deteriorates. The state of health has not changed. Changes characteristic of felinosis are seen by an ophthalmologist during examination.

Damage to the nervous system

When Bartonella gets into the blood, 2-3 weeks after inflammation of the regional lymph nodes, signs of damage to the nervous system may appear. This includes a decrease in sensitivity only in the area of socks and gloves, or spreading higher, a violation of the motor function of one or more limbs, trembling, and a lack of coordination.

Felinosis can also cause convulsions, inappropriate behavior, impaired consciousness, and paralysis of the facial nerve.

Atypical forms of immune deficiency

In people whose immunity is greatly reduced, felinosis occurs as bacillary angiomatosis or peliosis hepatitis.

Bacillary angiomatosis

This is the name of the pathology (it often develops only in HIV-infected people), when in response to the presence of bacteria of the genus Bartonella, vascular proliferation occurs.

Here, after damage by a cat's claw or teeth, an incubation period of several weeks or even months passes, that is, the wound heals. Cutaneous manifestations of the disease appear not in the place where the cat scratched, but in a random location. The mucous membranes of the mouth, genitals, and larynx are also affected.

The disease begins with the appearance of not small red nodules on the skin, but red or purple spots that do not protrude above it. Nodules appear later, against the background of these spots. Moreover, the nodes are not small, but large, up to 3 cm in diameter, painful, covered with red, inflamed skin. There may be several of them, individual ones, but there may be hundreds. Around each of them there is a “collar” of thin, eroded (reddish and oozing) epidermis.

The disease is accompanied by malaise, fever, and weight loss. Other organs may be affected: liver, spleen, heart, central nervous system, muscles, bone marrow.

Bacillary angiomatosis occurs in different ways: it can go away on its own, but can, with severe damage to internal organs, lead to death.

Peliosis hepatitis

In this case, cavities filled with blood form in the liver, causing the liver tissue to take on the appearance of a sponge. Symptoms of liver damage due to cat scratch disease:

prolonged fever;
chills occur periodically;
the stomach feels “bloated”, which is due to the accumulation of gases in it;
the skin takes on a pale yellow appearance;
bleeding gums increases;
areas of hemorrhage associated with damage to the blood coagulation system may appear on the skin.

Complications

When Bartonella, which causes felinosis, spreads through the blood to various internal organs, may occur:

pleurisy;
myocarditis;
spleen abscess;
osteomyelitis;
arthritis;
atypical pneumonia.

The bacterium can also cause significant blood complications, consisting of a decrease in various blood cells:

platelets (thrombitopenic purpura);
red blood cells (hemolytic anemia);
eosinophilic leukocytes (eosinophilia);
leukocytes ().

Diagnostics

An infectious disease specialist is involved in the treatment and diagnosis of felinosis. This specialist is already appearance distinguishes cat scratch disease from wound suppuration. So, if a cat scratches and the hand swells, this is most likely (although an inspection needs to be done) infection of the wound with ordinary (nonspecific) flora: strepto- or staphylococci, Proteas, maybe fungal flora. Such suppuration begins already on the second day after a scratch or bite, the site of injury is red, painful, a light liquid may be released from it, and later pus. With felinosis, the scratch heals, and against the background of a crust or even without it, nodules appear in this place that do not fester, do not hurt or itch.

“Bloating” of the hand after a bite or scratch is most likely a description of phlegmon (purulent melting of tissue) or, even worse, an anaerobic infection of the type. Here you need urgent help from a surgeon, most likely with hospitalization.

If a person begins to be bothered by enlarged lymph nodes, a consultation with an infectious disease specialist is required. Best of all, not a doctor from a clinical hospital, but a doctor from the emergency department of an infectious diseases hospital. There is less chance of infecting other patients, because such manifestations, in the absence of nodules on the skin, must be distinguished from HIV infection, lymphogranulomatosis, infectious mononucleosis, as well as such dangerous diseases as plague and tularemia.

Having suspected felinosis based on the medical history (contact with a cat, the appearance of nodules), an infectious disease doctor will help confirm the diagnosis with the help of studies, for which he needs tissue material either from nodules, or from an abscess, or from a lymph node, for which the doctor must puncture the pathological element and take its contents for the following types of research:

by polymerase chain reaction (PCR): this is how B.hanselae particles are detected and recognized. The analysis is performed by paid laboratories;
histological: under a microscope, characteristic tissue changes, as well as bacteria, are visible.

Serological tests - the determination of antibodies to Bartonella - also help in diagnosis. To do this, reactions called either ELISA or RSK are performed.

At 3-4 weeks of illness, you can conduct a skin allergy test by injecting a solution with Bartonella particles under the skin: in 90% of people with felinosis, the response will be redness and swelling in this place. This study has not been conducted in children.

A general blood test, in which the number of eosinophils is increased and the ESR is accelerated, does not confirm the diagnosis, but allows us to draw a conclusion about the severity of the disease. Determination of liver tests will help to find out whether the liver function is affected and to what extent, and an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity will reveal an enlargement of the liver and/or spleen, which will give reason to adjust the regime to semi-bed (the spleen is a delicate organ, its capsule can be damaged by severe human activity).

Treatment of the disease

Felinosis is treated as follows: medications are prescribed for systemic use, compresses, and surgical treatment can be used.

Typical uncomplicated lesions of the heart, liver, spleen, and nervous system can be treated at home. Other forms require hospitalization of the person.

Drug treatment

Appointed:

Antibiotics: doxycycline, erythromycin, tetracycline, ofloxacin, gentamicin, clarithromycin. They are used in the form of tablets, and in case of eye damage, also in the form of eye drops.
Anti-inflammatory and painkillers: ibuprofen, mefenamic acid.
Antihistamines: cetrin, L-cet, zodak, erius and others.
In severe cases, glucocorticoids may be prescribed: dexamethasone, prednisolone.

Compresses

It is recommended to apply compresses to the area of inflamed lymph nodes. Take 1 part dimethyl sulfoxide to 4 parts water, wet gauze with this mixture, apply it to the lymph node, put polyethylene on top, and then secure it with a bandage and insulate it with a warm cloth.

Physiotherapeutic methods

The area of inflamed lymph nodes is exposed to UHF and diathermy.

Surgery

If the affected lymph nodes are tense and painful, they are punctured for the purpose of drainage: this way the pressure in the node decreases, which helps in relieving the pain process.

Cat scratch disease in children

Felinosis in children usually occurs in a typical form: a scratch from a cat's claw goes away, and nodules appear in its place, which suppurate and open. After this, 1 or several nearby lymph nodes enlarge. The disease lasts about a month and can go away even without treatment.

An atypical form can develop in an HIV-infected child, a child who has undergone chemotherapy or organ transplantation. In this case, it is impossible to predict which organ or system will be affected. Symptoms of atypical forms in children correspond to those described above.

Diagnostics in children is the same; punctate PCR is its main method.

Treatment is carried out with the drug Sumamed at a dose of 10 mg/kg per day. From 8 years of age, doxycycline or tetracycline can be used. Drugs such as ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin are allowed from 16-18 years of age.

Disease prognosis

In most cases, the disease ends with the complete disappearance of all symptoms. With timely treatment, even severe forms of pathology can be cured. The prognosis for damage to the nervous system is questionable, since Bartonella can cause irreversible changes in the brain.

Disease prevention

What to do if a cat scratches you:

wash the wound laundry soap under running water;
treat with 3% hydrogen peroxide;
cauterize with alcohol or brilliant green.

Taking antibiotics is ineffective. Treatment of cats as potential sources of infection is useless.

Scratches from a cat are a consequence of the playful nature of the pet, which exhibits hunting skills. If wounds are not treated, as well as insufficient monitoring of the cat’s health, a scratch can become infected with a serious disease. Scratches from cats that live outside are especially dangerous. This increases the risk of infection.

Animals need claws not only for hunting and self-defense, but also for free movement through trees. They have a curved hook-shaped design that provides maximum grip on the surface. The peculiarity of the shape contributes to the accumulation of dirt, pathogenic microorganisms and particles of prey under the claws.

When a scratch is applied, an open wound with capillary bleeding is formed. Pathogenic microorganisms penetrate the general bloodstream and, with pathologically low immunity, can provoke the development of serious diseases.

The most dangerous disease that can be contracted from furry pets is felinosis. The disease is caused by chlamydia that enters through a small scratch on the skin. There is a long latent period, as well as debut in an acute form with damage to regional lymph nodes. If left untreated, it can cause advanced forms of lymphadenitis, as well as many other complications. Most often, children get sick because their immune system is not able to cope with chlamydia on its own.

Local clinical manifestations

Cat scratches appear as minor damage to the upper layers of the epidermis, which is accompanied by a small amount of blood. In the absence of proper treatment and pathogenic microorganisms entering the bloodstream, symptoms such as:

swelling of the wound surface;
suppuration;
weeping and lack of wound healing;
painful sensations.

In case of infection with felinosis, the following clinical picture is noted:

The incubation period lasts 7-14 days, depending on the maturity of the immune system. Characterized by the appearance of a purulent papule near the site of injury skin. Over time, the papule opens on its own, and the purulent contents pour out. An ulcer forms that tends to ooze.
The acute form of the disease is accompanied by fever and signs of general intoxication. The constantly increasing concentration of chlamydia affects the functioning of the entire lymphatic system, affecting the lymph nodes, spleen, and liver. The febrile period lasts long enough, after which imaginary relief occurs.
Latent form - inflamed lymph nodes provoke pain on palpation. A biopsy involves obtaining a purulent-serous biopsy.

Without proper treatment, the disease can accompany a person for years and occur in a latent form, periodically exacerbating.

Treatment and treatment

The first thing to do when a cat scratches you is to disinfect the wound. For these purposes, hydrogen peroxide or chlorhexidine is used. A small amount of disinfectant is applied to the wound, after which the remaining liquid in it is removed using blotting movements.

If bleeding occurs, take a piece of bandage or gauze, soak it generously in antiseptic, then apply it to the wound surface and press. After a few minutes the bleeding stops.

To speed up wound healing, special ointments and creams are used. The most effective of them are:

Levomekol - disinfects and promotes rapid regeneration of damaged areas of the epithelium. Can be applied openly or under a bandage at night.
Bepanten - has a thick, oily consistency that does not allow the ointment to spread under the influence of body temperature. Contains provitamins that promote rapid wound healing.
Actovegin - contains microelements that help saturate the cells of the wound surface with nutrients, which helps accelerate metabolic processes, as well as active wound healing.

Treatment of the wound, even if it is minor, is performed at least 2 times a day. Before each application of the ointment, it is necessary to disinfect the wound with an antiseptic and allow it to air dry.

If crusts appear, under no circumstances should they be removed, scratched or removed using improvised means. Under the crusts, a regeneration process is actively underway, which promotes the formation of new epithelial cells.

If there is pus in the wound, which is actively oozing out or is located at the bottom of the wound, the use of antibiotics will be required. In this case, it is better to seek help from a doctor who will select the most suitable remedy. It is better not to use wound healing agents, since pus may end up under the surface of the newly formed cells, which will provoke the development of an extensive inflammatory process.

If we are talking about the treatment of a specific disease (felinosis) caused by infection of a wound with chlamydia, treatment is carried out in a hospital setting. There have been no recorded cases of transmission of the disease from person to person, but the patient must be constantly under the supervision of specialists. Appropriate antibiotic therapy is selected, and drugs to enhance immunity and symptomatic treatment are also prescribed.

Healing time

Scarring of a cut after a cat scratch depends on many factors. Firstly, this individual characteristics body. If you have a strong immune system, the wound healing process lasts on average 3-5 days. In older age, natural regeneration slows down, so scratches from a cat can heal in 5-7 days.

Secondly, the correct treatment of the wound. If the scratch was treated in a timely manner and the pathogenic microflora did not have time to enter the general bloodstream, then the healing process will not be interfered with by any third-party factors. Using products with dexpanthenol speeds up the process by 2-3 days, making the scar less noticeable.

Thirdly, the presence or absence of chlamydia infection. If felinosis develops, long-term treatment will be required, and the wound itself may long time do not heal and get wet.

Fourthly, the depth of the scratch. Superficial cuts heal faster than deep cuts.

On average, the process of epithelial regeneration after a cat scratch is 3-7 days. During this time, a number of changes occur in the wound, from the inflammatory process to the formation of scar tissue. Factors that can aggravate the natural wound healing process include:

re-infection of the wound with pathogenic microorganisms in water and air;
improper care of the wound surface;
pathologically reduced immunity;
the presence of chronic skin diseases of an infectious-inflammatory nature.

If redness, itching or purulent plaque appears around the wound, it is better to continue treatment under the supervision of a specialist.

Possible complications

Improper wound treatment and infection with pathogenic microorganisms can provoke the development of a number of complications:

addition of a purulent-inflammatory process;
blood poisoning;
damage to the lymphatic system with enlarged lymph nodes and increased load on the spleen;
prolonged non-healing and weeping of the wound, at the site of which a characteristic ulcer forms;
the appearance of scars and cicatrices.

You should immediately consult a doctor if the following additional symptoms appear:

increase in body temperature, fever;
redness of the wound and changes in its external parameters;
the appearance of purulent discharge and an unpleasant odor;
signs of general intoxication in the form of nausea, weakness, upset stool;
enlarged lymph nodes in the armpit and elbow.

This can manifest itself as a serious disease, felinosis, which requires complex treatment and close monitoring by a doctor. Self-medication can be ineffective and life-threatening.

Scratches should not be left unattended, especially in the summer, when the risk of infection is greatest. In the case of long and deep scratches, they must be sealed with a bactericidal plaster or a sterile bandage must be applied, under which there is a wound healing agent. Dressings should be changed frequently to avoid worsening the inflammatory process.

“I’m an avid cat lady, so it’s no wonder that my hands are constantly covered in scratches. As a rule, they leave red and blue stripes for a long time. How can you get rid of them?”
Daria Ivanyushkina, Vladivostok

Tatyana Pavlovna Pyzhevich, an infectious disease specialist at City Clinic No. 81 in Moscow, is consulting.

Cat scratches do take a long and painful time to heal. And, of course, it is best to try not to let games with your favorite dog reach the critical moment when she releases her claws.
But if something like this does happen, the main thing is not to let things take their course. Scratches, as well as bites, should be immediately treated with a 2% hydrogen peroxide solution, and then with iodine or alcohol. However, these are traditional remedies, and they are needed in order to prevent infection. And to speed up the healing process and to make unattractive red and blue stripes disappear faster, there are many modern remedies that can be purchased at the pharmacy.
Miramistin, a drug based on myristic acid, has proven itself well. Many experts consider it one of the best antiseptics today, which can replace a good half of the home first aid kit. This is an excellent remedy for preventing suppuration of wounds. In addition, it avoids antibiotics that many people dislike, does not cause any allergic reactions, and therefore is suitable for children, who especially often suffer from cat scratches and bites. Ask your pharmacist for a bottle with a green label - any pharmacy probably has it.
There is another good drug - the so-called “Emu Fat”. It should be applied to wounds morning and evening. Also, morning and evening, lubricate the scratch areas with colloidal silver. And if you combine these two products, scratch marks will disappear even faster.
So, as you can see, you can get rid of the consequences of careless games with pets without much effort. The situation is much more serious if Murka gives you an infection. Here we are already talking about illness.
I am sure that many, even avid cat lovers, not only do not have the slightest idea about it, but have not even heard of the name. Meanwhile, the disease has several names. This is benign lymphoreticulosis, and non-bacterial lymphadenitis, and, finally, simply “cat scratch” disease - all this is one and the same.
The disease is quite serious and infectious. Its pathogen lives in the body of infected cats. Cats themselves do not get sick, but they infect humans through scratching, biting, and licking.
The “cat scratch” disease may go away on its own, but it will cause you a lot of trouble for a month or two, or even more. It's better to take action right away.
To those remedies that have already been named, you need to add antibiotics. The most commonly used is erythromycin - 500 mg daily. Doxycycline and gentamicin give good results. It has been noticed that people with weakened immune systems are more susceptible to the disease, so it is a good idea to take medications that strengthen the immune system. The disease is also well treated with prednisone. However, it is best if this or that drug is prescribed to you by an infectious disease doctor.
Cat scratch disease can be avoided by taking the necessary steps in a timely manner. preventive measures. Cats should undergo regular veterinary examinations. If you are sick, treat them as seriously as you treat yourself. By the way, experts are now discussing the question: is it possible to immunize muskies and whether it is possible to interrupt the transmission of infection to humans. Preliminary data show that microbes in the blood of cats can “live” safely for several years, but successful treatment is quite possible - with the help of antimicrobial drugs. But vaccinated cats are more sensitive to re-infection.
One way or another, the danger of “cat scratch” disease remains in any case. Therefore, even if you have vaccinated your cat, you should not let down your guard.

One of the first mentions of the disease that a sweet pussy can give to a person is found in the legend of the Egyptian pharaoh Akhenaten. When a new favorite appeared among his concubines, the pharaoh’s legal wife, the beautiful Nefertiti, gave the foreigner a kitten from her beloved cat. He turned out to be temperamental and loved to scratch. The beauty got sick. At first, the scratches on my wrist did not heal for a long time, then the abrasions turned red, swollen and festered. In the end, the pharaoh's favorite left the world of the living. The palace was immersed in sadness, and only the wise Nefertiti, stroking the kitten, smiled.

Cat scratch disease is an acute or chronic infectious disease that develops after being scratched or bitten by an infected cat. In medicine, this pathology has several other names: felinosis, benign lymphoreticulosis, Mollaret granuloma. For the first time, felinosis was described independently by 2 scientists - R. Debre and P. Mollare - in the middle of the 20th century. At first it was believed that the disease was of a viral nature, but in 1963, scientists from Russia - V.I. Chervonskaya, A.Yu. Bekleshov and I.I. Terskikh - a pathogen was isolated, which turned out to be a bacterium of the rickettsia group - Rochalimaea henselae.

Causes, epidemiology and mechanism of disease development

So, the causative agent of benign lymphoreticulosis is a bacterium of the genus Rochalimea called Rochalimaea henselae.

The disease is widespread and is characterized by seasonality - 2/3 of incidence cases occur in the cold season. People of all ages suffer, but 8-9 out of 10 cases are children and young people under 20 years of age.

The natural reservoir and source of infection are mammals, in particular. The causative bacterium does not cause allergic reactions or other pathological conditions in animals, but negatively affects human health. It is not transmitted from person to person.

The portal of infection is the skin of the upper and lower extremities, head, face and neck, and sometimes the conjunctiva.

The microorganism gets on and through the existing damage (scratches or others noted before contact with the cat or appeared as a result of it) penetrates deeper. As a result of the release of microbial toxins, inflammation develops at the site of injury. By destroying cells, the pathogen penetrates the lymphatic bed and, with the lymph flow, enters the nearest lymph node, where an inflammatory reaction also occurs. After this, the bacterium penetrates the blood and spreads throughout the body, settling in many organs and tissues. This phenomenon is called “dissemination of infection” and is manifested by pathological changes in target organs (those on which the bacteria have settled) - enlarged lymph nodes, spleen and skin rashes, and so on.

Factors contributing to the development of this pathology are:

disorders in the cellular immune system;
long-term use of certain medications, in particular (prednisolone, methylprednisolone) and cytostatics (cyclosporine, azathioprine, cyclophosphamide);
alcohol abuse.

In HIV-infected individuals, cat scratch disease is especially severe, characterized by a long, often atypical course.

After recovery, a person develops strong immunity.

Clinical manifestations of cat scratch disease

90% of cases of benign lymphoreticulosis are characterized by a typical course. The incubation period ranges from 3 days to 3 weeks. The onset of the disease is gradual: in the area of the entrance gate of the infection (the scratch through which the pathogen entered has healed by this time), a tubercle (papule) appears, which after a few days turns into a vesicle or pustule, which then breaks through, forming an ulcer. The general condition of the patient at this stage does not suffer, remaining satisfactory.

After 2-3 weeks from the moment of infection, the most characteristic sign of cat scratch disease appears - regional (an inflammatory process in the lymph nodes located closest to the gate of infection). It is characterized by an increase in the patient’s body temperature to febrile (38-41°C) values, lasting from 7 to 30 or more days. In half of patients, fever may be absent.

In addition to fever, patients have other symptoms of intoxication: general weakness, lethargy, poor sleep and appetite, sweating, palpitations, which usually last no more than 2 weeks. Regional lymph nodes (usually axillary, elbow, cervical) are enlarged in size up to 3-5 cm, and in some cases up to 8-10 cm, they are not fused to each other and surrounding tissues, and are painless on palpation. In half of the cases, the affected lymph nodes suppurate. In 5% of patients, not only regional, but also other, distant groups of lymph nodes are involved in the pathological process - so-called generalized adenopathy develops. The average duration of adenopathy is about 3 months, but can last from 2 weeks to a year.

In approximately 5% of patients, as a result of the saliva of an infected cat getting on the conjunctiva of the eye, an atypical form of the disease develops - ocular. In this case, the pathological process usually involves 1 eye, the conjunctiva of which is sharply swollen, reddened (hyperemic), specific nodules appear on it, in place of which ulcers can form.

The anterior auricular lymph node is enlarged - reaches up to 5 cm or more in diameter, sometimes suppurates, after which a fistula is formed, leaving a scar in its place. In some cases, lymphadenopathy is determined not only in the anterior ear, but also in the posterior ear and submandibular lymph nodes. Often this process is accompanied by a significant increase in body temperature, as well as weakness, palpitations, deterioration of sleep and other signs of intoxication of the body. The duration of the ocular form of cat scratch disease varies from 1 week to 7 months, while its manifestations from the conjunctiva disappear after 7-14 days.

In isolated cases, benign lymphoreticulosis also affects the nervous system. 7 days - 1.5 months after the enlargement of the lymph nodes, neurological symptoms appear, characteristic of myelitis, encephalopathy, and other diseases. Episodes of short-term disturbance of consciousness up to coma are possible.

HIV-infected patients, along with classical complaints, note the appearance various sizes hemorrhages in the skin that develop as a result of damage by the causative agent of vascular disease. This phenomenon indicates the spread of bacteria throughout the body through the bloodstream.

Complications of cat scratch disease include:

myocarditis;
spleen abscess;
and others.

Diagnosis of cat scratch disease

As a rule, the diagnosis of “benign lymphoreticulosis” does not cause difficulties for a specialist. Already at the stage of the first conversation with the patient - collecting complaints and anamnesis data - he will suspect this particular disease, since he will perceive the connection between the patient’s contact with the cat and subsequent symptoms in the form of inflammation at the site of the scratch and in the area of regional lymph nodes. A microbiological blood test or a histological study of material obtained by performing a biopsy of an element of the rash: a tubercle (papule), an abscess (vesicle) or the affected lymph node itself will help confirm or refute this diagnosis. In addition, in some cases, a diagnostic method such as molecular genetic testing of bacterial DNA isolated from a biopsy is used.

IN general analysis blood of persons suffering from cat scratch disease, an increase in the level of eosinophils and erythrocyte sedimentation rate is determined.

This disease should be differentiated from the following conditions:

tuberculosis of the lymph nodes;
cutaneous bubonic form of tularemia;
lymphogranulomatosis;
lymphadenitis (inflammation of the lymph nodes) of a bacterial nature.

Treatment of benign lymphoreticulosis

In most cases, this disease heals spontaneously, but sometimes it cannot be avoided without medical intervention.

The greatest importance in therapy is played by etiotropic treatment, namely the use of antibacterial agents in order to quickly eliminate the causative microbe. Typically, antibiotics are used such as erythromycin, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, azithromycin, clarithromycin, ofloxacin, chloramphenicols and others. In the case of an atypical ocular form of the disease, the antibiotic is used not only systemically, but also locally - in the form of eye drops.

In case of severe lymphadenitis, anti-inflammatory treatment is carried out using drugs from the group: diclofenac, nimesulide and others. Compresses with dimexide are also recommended - 1 part of the drug to 4 parts of water - applied 1-2 times a day for 2 hours.

In case of severe pain, painkillers are prescribed as needed - ibuprofen, paracetamol.

In case of suppuration of the lymph node, a puncture is performed: under sterile conditions, the lymph node is pierced with a special needle, the contents (purulent masses) are sucked out and the cavity is washed with an antiseptic solution.

Prevention

Unfortunately, there are no specific preventive measures today. If a cat scratches or bites you, you should treat the damaged area with a disinfectant: hydrogen peroxide, alcohol or other antiseptic.