‘You have to tell your doctor’ if any of these red flags apply to you
People with cats at home are being urged not to ignore any cuts on their skin when their pets scratch them. The wound might seem minor, but it could hide a rare infection that could lead to memory and organ problems, according to a doctor.
Going by Dr Bing online, Dr Baibing Chen, MD, is a double board-certified neurologist and epileptologist. Speaking in a new TikTok video, he shared a recent story about a patient who had a mystery illness that had caused some potentially life-changing symptoms.
Dr Bing said: “I once took care of a teenage patient who came in with confusion, severe headaches, and trouble walking for a few days. Her parents said that, during this time, she had been unusually tired and clumsy, and it kept getting worse until she could barely stand.”
The doctor said the serious condition went unexplained at first, to the point that the girl had “decreased vision in one eye”. Dr Bing explained: “We did not find definitive evidence of a stroke, meningitis [or an] autoimmune disease to explain it. Other symptoms? Nothing seemed to fit.”
However, something ‘easily missed’ was the true break in the case, the doctor said. The girl had “a few scratches on her arm” from a new kitten that was just adopted by the family – which instantly pointed doctors to one conclusion, he said.
That little detail changed everything, and subsequent testing confirmed Bartonella, a bacterium that causes ‘cat scratch disease’, the doctor said. Now, most people with this infection only get mild symptoms like “swollen lymph nodes or fever and fatigue.”
However, in rare cases, it can affect the nervous system and the eyes, leading to brain damage and painful vision loss. Thankfully, the disease can be treated with antibiotics and symptoms usually get better (including vision).
Dr Bing stressed: “This is not about being afraid of cats, I think cats can be wonderful companions, this is about awareness. If you get a scratch, bite, or even just a leg, and that’s followed by persistent headaches, confusion, balance problems, or vision changes, you have to tell your doctor because these small details can make a huge difference in your diagnosis.”
What is ‘cat scratch fever’
Sometimes called ‘cat scratch fever’, the disease isn’t something that all felines constantly carry. The rare bacterial infection, transmitted through scratches, bites, or licks of open wounds, becomes a risk if cats are infected with the bacteria (B. henselae) from flea bites.
Symptoms of cat scratch disease start three to ten days after a cat scratch or wound. They include:
- Bumps under your skin or a rash.
- Swollen, painful lymph nodes.
- Fever.
- Muscle, bone or joint aches.
- Loss of appetite or weight loss.
- Fatigue.
If you’re around cats, try to avoid bites or scratches and don’t let them lick wounds you have, and keep any cuts clean. Keep your cats indoors to help reduce their risk of flea bites, thereby reducing the chances of them having the bacteria to begin with.
