Cat scratch disease in Australia

Abstract

Companion animals such as cats are important for their health benefits. However, one of the risks of bringing cats into the household is cat scratch disease (CSD), with kittens or stray cats posing the highest risk. CSD is a clinical syndrome caused mainly by Bartonella henselae and is characterised by regional lymphadenopathy in patients with a history of close cat contact within three months of onset of symptoms. In most cases, CSD is a benign, self-limited infection, with more severe infections occurring only rarely in immunocompetent people. However, in immunocompromised patients, including those post-organ transplantation or with advanced HIV infection, the disease can be more severe and avoiding exposure needs to be considered. Improving flea control is also important, as transmission among cats occurs via the cat flea Ctenocephalides felis. To add to the data on B. henselae in Australia, I will report on some previously unpublished data on the seroprevalence and percentage of culture positives in WA domestic cats.