HEALTH RISKS THAT CAT SCRATCH DISEASE CREATES IN HUMANS, CONTROL AND TREATMENT CHOICES

Abstract

It is concluded that animal health affects directly human health considering the fact that major part of diseases in humans result from animals. Bartonella agents are isolated from humans, rodents, rabbits, dogs, ruminants, wild and domestic cats. Bartonella infections are most commonly seen in domestic cats. Cats are considered primary mammalian reservoir in the transmission of zoonotic Bartonella (B.) henselae and B. clarridgeiae infections. Bartonella, vector-borne pathogen commonly appeared in our country and the world, can cause from mild flu signs to severe diseases such as endocarditis, myocarditis, arthritis, hepatitis in humans and animals. After Bartonella infections are transmitted by fleas to cats, cats may remain chronically infected with bacteria for months or years and especially they can transmit the infection to humans by bites or scratches. Cats infected by Bartonella spp. without any clinical signs can transmit the infection to humans. In the context of this review in the light of mentioned knowledge, data were presented for prevalence situations belonging to regions and countries that Bartonella infection commonly occurs in Turkey and the world. In addition, knowledge was given obtained from recent scientific sources for transmission ways of bartonellosis, clinical signs that it causes in humans and animals, diagnosis methods, treatment and control.