1. Rochalimaea's role in cat scratch disease and bacillary angiomatosis
- Author
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Tompkins, David C. and Steigbigel, Roy T.
- Subjects
Cat-scratch disease -- Causes of ,Angiomatosis -- Causes of ,Bacterial infections -- Diagnosis ,Health - Abstract
The bacterium Rochalimaea appears to be the infectious agent in cat scratch disease and bacillary angiomatosis. Cat scratch disease is characterized by enlarged painful lymph nodes, fever and malaise. Cat exposure has been linked with 90% of known cases, and often the first symptom is a lesion at the site of a scratch. Recently, Rochalimaea henselae was isolated from two patients diagnosed with cat scratch disease. Bacillary angiomatosis is characterized by the rapid growth of small blood vessels in skin and internal organs, especially the liver and spleen. It has been seen more frequently in patients since the onset of the AIDS epidemic. Rochalimaea infection was confirmed in four patients with bacillary angiomatosis. Further studies are needed to explain why infection with Rochalimaea causes cat scratch disease in some and bacillary angiomatosis in others and why the two diseases respond differently to treatment with antimicrobial drugs.
- Published
- 1993