RE: Babies: Cats

I actually got cat scratch fever many years ago.  Manifested with a
swollen lymph node that sent me to the doctor who examined it and
immediately walked me to outpatient surgery for a biopsy - he was
envisioning lymphatic cancer or something equally dire and was almost
gleeful when he saw the excised node.  Knew immediately it was cat
scratch fever - so lymph node involvement must be a fairly common
symptom.  Lab confirmed and he sent me on my way with assurances that it
would probably never bother me again.  Freaked me out - I had never
heard of cat scratch fever.

Lynda
Zone 7 - West TN

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-gardenchat@hort.net [o*@hort.net] On
Behalf Of Kitty Morrissy
Sent: Saturday, March 29, 2003 9:15 PM
To: Agardenchat
Subject: Re: [CHAT]Babies: Cats


Jim, 
Technically Bartonellosis refers originally to Oroya fever in the Andes
Mtns from a bacterium, Bartonella bacilliformis, carried by sand flies. 
"Characterized by a form of red blood cell deficiency (hemolytic anemia)
and fever, the potentially fatal acute form is called Oroya fever or
Carrion's disease. The chronic form is identified by painful skin
lesions." However the Bartonella genus has 11 species, and often simply
the name Bartonellosis covers them all.

Cats can be infected with one (I think it is B. henselae) via flea
bites. 
When they scratch a human being it is possible to transmit Cat Scratch
Fever.  It can be mild or very troublesome, with similar symptoms as the
chronic form of the above. They can pass it among each other via
scratching or sometimes even licking.

I probably carry the bacterium just as my cat did, but with no symtoms,
no problems.  Most of what can be found about the disease has to do with
a fear for humans catching it and what to do about it.  But Jack (cat)
actually has had symptoms for years and I never realized it. It causes
him to vomit and his gums to be swolen.  He has not vomited once since
starting the medication, but prior to that it was getting more and more
frequent, a few times a week.  Another symptom is diarrhea, which he
doesn't seem to have, but Seamus (another cat) does.  The vet treated
him for Song Bird Fever last year, assuming that to be the problem
becuase of his eating habits, but the diarrhea din't go away. It comes
and goes. He gets tested next week, I'm betting this is the real
culprit.

Well, probably much more than you wanted to know. 

Kitty


> [Original Message]
> From: James R. Fisher <garrideb@well.com>
> To: <gardenchat@hort.net>
> Date: 3/29/2003 8:20:51 PM
> Subject: Re: [CHAT]Babies: Cats
>
> Kitty wrote:
>
> > getting that at $100 each and now they're also able to test for 
> > Bartonellosis. I've only had Jack tested so far, but he was +, so I 
> > began treatment. He's already quite improved, tho he hates the 
> > medicine.
> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> What's Bartonellosis, please ? Never heard of it...
> -jrf
> --
> Jim Fisher
> Vienna, Virginia USA
> 38.9 N 77.2 W
> USDA Zone 7
> Max. 105 F [40 C], Min. 5 F [-15 C]
>
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