What Really is Cat Scratch Fever?
Germs can establish a home anywhere — on the lip of a pop can, in the hairs of a mustache, under the skin of a rotten apple. Sometimes, they set up housekeeping on a sharp object — a rusty nail, the edge of a razor, or a pin. But what if those sharp objects could strike out and cut you? If the sharp object happens to be the claws or teeth of a cat, you could get cat-scratch disease (CSD), commonly referred to as cat scratch fever. CSD is a fairly common condition worldwide. There are approximately 24,000 cases of CSD in the U.S. annually, causing approximately 2,000 hospitalizations. Over 80% of patients are under age 21. Peak incidences are between the ages of two and 14 years. In cooler climates most cases occur from September through February, and in warmer climates the majority of cases occur in July and August. CSD cannot be passed from person to person. It is transmitted to a person by an infected cat (most often a kitten). Several persons in the same household may develop the
