title: Status Epilepticus Due to Cat Scratch Disease: Recognition, Diagnosis, and Thoughts on Pathogenesis.
abstract: Despite the publication of a number of case reports since the 1950s, physician awareness of the unique relationship between cat scratch disease (CSD) and acute encephalopathy remains limited. This report alerts emergency medicine physicians to include CSD encephalopathy (CSDE) in the differential diagnosis when a previously healthy child presents with status epilepticus. Prompt recognition of this relationship impacts the selection of initial diagnostic studies and antibiotic choices and permits reliable insight into prognosis. The 2 cases are from different eras and demonstrate the significant diagnostic advances in the past 3 decades for Bartonella henselae infection. Both children were treated with antibiotics, and both had resolution of all neurological symptoms. However, the role of antibiotics in the treatment and outcome of CSDE remains speculative. Lastly, the report suggests potential areas of investigation to address immune-mediated mechanisms in the pathogenesis of CSDE.
authors: From the *Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill; †Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatric Emergency Medicine; ‡Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Critical Care, WakeMed Health and Hospitals, Raleigh, NC; and §Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors: Angel Lorrine
authors: AL
authors: Schuster
authors: Travis C B
authors: TC
authors: Honeycutt
authors: Harvey James
authors: HJ
authors: Hamrick
mesh_terms: D016917:Angiomatosis, Bacillary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018416:Bartonella henselae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D002372:Cat-Scratch Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents