When should be concerned after a cat scratch?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am an 18-year-old girl. This week, I bought two kittens and a dog. I took good care of them and cleaned them thrice a day. One of my kittens scratched me a bit, but I cleaned the scratch with soap and alcohol. It has been six days and the scratch is gone. But, I feel very weak lately and have a severe headache as well as an upset stomach. I am an extremely clean person. I cleaned everything and disinfected the cat room. Do I still need to get tested for a cat scratch disease? I am a bit better now. I thought I am a bit anemic from my period and I started some vitamins. Am I in danger? The vet said that I am not if I clean my hands regularly, but I am still concerned.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

It seems like you most probably do have a cat scratch disease. The symptoms usually appear a few days after the cat scratches or bites. The typical symptoms are fever, tiredness, and also a lymph node enlargement, although not all of them might appear in every patient.

It would be best to have a test done, but anyway it is highly recommended that you start an antibiotic treatment right away even if the test is negative. The first line of treatment would be Azithromycin.