A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that cuddling and kissing kittens could pass factal bacterial diseases to owners if they did not wash their hands properly after touching the felines.
#1 Potential Deadly Disease is Larger than Scientists Thought
Doctors from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US conducted a large-scale survey of the cat-borne bacterial disease called cat scratch fever and found that the potentially deadly disease was larger than they initially thought.
Dr. Christina Nelson of the CDC said: “Cat-scratch is preventable. If we can identify the populations at risk and the patterns of disease, we can focus the prevention efforts.”
#2 Cat Scratch is a Bacterial Infection
The disease is a bacterial infection caused by Bartonella henselae bacteria. Preventions include: washing hands thoroughly and promptly after handling cats, treating fleas and keeping cats indoors away from stray cats.
#3 Kittens and Strays More Likely to Carry the Disease
Kittens and stray cats are more likely to carry the disease. This happens when you get scratched by an infected cat or you stroke an infected cat and don’t wash your hands properly. Kissing cats and kittens with fleas and playing with street cats should be avoided.
#4 The Disease Can Cause Death
Cat scratch disease can cause: fever, enlarged, tender lymph nodes, a scab or pustule at the scratch area and in some extreme cases, death.
#5 An Extremely Rare Disease
The survey found that the annual incidence was 4.5 outpatient diagnoses out of 100,000 of the population. However, the doctors warned individuals to take precautions. Cats should also be taken to the vets if they have the following symptoms: fever, vomiting, lethargy, red eyes, decrease appetite and swollen lymph nodes.
