This weekend some friends finally got me to watch the BBC show "Sherlock". I know it's in its 3rd season, but I'm usually behind on things like this. Anyways, I've made my way through the 1st season, and its pretty good, even if some of the lab tests he performs are wrong or impossible, but that's another topic. In the 3rd (or last) episode, a woman dies from what seems to be an infection, but they are unable to figure out how she was infected. Watson visits her home and believes it was cat scratch. I'm not going to give away any more, but this got me thinking about cats. My family has had our share of cats, and along with that cat scratches. So what are some things you can get from your overly playful cat?
Cat scratch fever (Bartonellosis) is a bacterial infection caused by Bartonella henselae. It is the most common bacterial disease acquired from cats. The bacteria are commonly found in cats and don't usually cause a disease until it enters into the bloodstream. Fleas can also transmit the bacteria. Kittens are the most prone to harboring the bacteria and causing an infection in people or spreading it to other cats. Cats can also carry Salmonella and can infect through a scratch.
Cats may also have dirt in the claws, which can have a lot of bacteria found in soil that are pathogenic. The genus Clostridium lives in the soil and can cause tetanus and botulism. Bacillus can cause serious infections, including anthrax. Listeria and Camplybactor may be found and can also be transmitted via cat scratches.
This is not a comprehensive list, but just some common infections that can be passed from cats to humans.
Cornell Veterinary College
Soil-Related Bacterial Infections
No comments:
Post a Comment