Systemic cat scratch disease.
Systemic cat scratch disease (CSD) is often associated with prolonged fever and microabscesses in the liver and/or spleen. We report a case of systemic CSD with hepatic, splenic and renal involvement in an aboriginal child in Taiwan. A previously healthy 9-year-old girl had an intermittent fever for about 17 days, and complained of abdominal pain, headache and weight loss. Abdominal computed tomography showed multiple tiny hypodense nodular lesions in the spleen and both kidneys. Laparotomy revealed multiple soft, whitish-tan lesions on the surface of the liver and spleen. Histopathologic examination of a biopsy specimen of the spleen showed necrotizing granulomatous inflammation with central necrosis surrounded by epithelioid cells and occasional Langhans' giant cells, strongly suggestive of Bartonella henselae infection. History revealed close contact with a cat. B. henselae DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction in the tissue specimen, and the single antibody titer against B. henselae was greater than 1:2048. These results confirmed the diagnosis of visceral CSD caused by B. henselae. The patient's symptoms resolved after treatment with rifampin and tetracycline. This case illustrates the need for inclusion of systemic CSD in patients with fever of unknown origin and abdominal pain.
Liao
Hui-Min
HM
Department of Pediatrics, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Huang
Fu-Yuan
FY
Chi
Hsin
H
Wang
Nieu-Lu
NL
Chen
Be-Fong
BF
D000818:Animals; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002415:Cats; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005335:Fever of Unknown Origin / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013752:Tetracycline / Q000008:administration & dosage
D013752:Tetracycline; D012293:Rifampin