Cat scratch disease is caused by Bartonella henselae. The disease is spread through contact with an infected cat (a bite or scratch), or contact with cat saliva on broken skin or the white of the eye. Lymph node swelling begins about 2 - 3 weeks after exposure and may persist for months. Swelling may occur at the site of the initial infection, followed by enlarged lymph nodes along the lymph drainage route from the injury site. Occasionally, nodes may form a tunnel (fistula) through the skin and drain. Cat scratch disease is one of the common causes of chronic lymph node swelling in children. Until now, the disease often went unrecognized because of the difficulty in testing. Recently however, the Bartonella henselae IFA test was shown to be highly sensitive and specific for the detection of infection caused by Bartonella henselae and for the diagnosis of cat scratch disease.
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