[Explanation] As the saying goes, "It's fun to pet a cat for a while, and it's always fun to pet a cat all the time." But recently, a teenager in Zhejiang has contracted a strange disease called "cat scratch disease" because of pet cats.
What is cat scratch disease?
What harm does it do?
On February 2, a reporter from China News Agency interviewed Wang Baozeng, director of the Department of Infectious Diseases, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University.
[Concurrent] Wang Baozeng, Director of Infectious Diseases Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University
This cat scratch disease is actually an infectious disease. Cats carry a special pathogen called Bartonella henselae. This bacteria is in the oropharynx of cats. After being bitten by cats and scratched by cats, this Bacteria multiply in the area of your wound, making it prone to symptoms of cat scratch disease.
[Explanation] Wang Baozeng introduced that after being infected with cat scratch disease, symptoms such as fever, erythematous papules, and local lymphadenopathy are common.
[Concurrent] Wang Baozeng, Director of Infectious Diseases Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University
The most common is this kind of damage in the upper limbs, and then the lymph nodes in the armpit and some lymph nodes in the neck are swollen. If the damage in the lower limbs can cause a lymph node in the groin to swell, in this case, there is a fever , which is a relatively common clinical symptom.
[Explanation] Wang Baozeng pointed out that cat scratch disease is actually a self-limiting disease, that is, it can be cured by the body's own resistance and does not require additional treatment with external drugs. The incidence rate in China is not high, so there is no need to panic, but it is still recommended Get a rabies shot.
[Concurrent] Wang Baozeng, Director of Infectious Diseases Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University
If it is after being scratched by a cat, let's look at the local wound. If there is no special problem with the wound, we may use salt water and soapy water to clean it in time, but whether it is a domestic cat or a stray cat, scratches or bites In the future, I still recommend everyone to get the rabies vaccine, but it is not necessary to use anti-infection drugs to prevent it. I don’t think it is necessary, it depends on the condition of his wound.
[Explanation] Wang Baozeng said that cat scratch disease has an incubation period, and it can be observed for 1 to 3 weeks after being scratched or bitten. If symptoms of infection appear, seek medical treatment in time.
[Concurrent] Wang Baozeng, Director of Infectious Diseases Department, Beijing Tiantan Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University
No matter what kind of pet we keep, we have to go to the pet station regularly, we have a regular physical examination, and the required vaccinations must be vaccinated for pets. If we keep pets in the daily process, we should not be too close or interact with them too much.
If you clean the animal again, it may be in the mouth, its fur, and its claws carry various bacteria. When your resistance is low, this bacteria will erode into the body. The serious problem is not local lymph node enlargement If it is serious, it can also cause some damage to important organs.
Reporter Liu Chao reports from Beijing
Editor in charge: [Ji Xiang]