Cat Scratch Disease

During the past four years hundreds of cases of cat scratch disease have been reported from Europe and America. This newly recognized clinical entity has been separated from the group of regional adenopathies by means of a specific skin test. The differentiation is useful, since cat scratch disease, which has an excellent prognosis, may often mimic the more serious granulomatous and neoplastic diseases of lymph nodes. In its commonest form, a cat scratch, or more rarely some other form of skin injury, is followed within a few days by the development of an indolent primary lesion at the site of inoculation. Within the next few weeks, striking regional lymphadenitis, without intervening lymphangitis, develops. The nodes may be red and tender or relatively painless. Fever and systemic symptoms are usually present. The nodes may regress spontaneously within a few weeks or proceed to suppuration with the development of bacteriologically sterile pus.