[Cat scratch disease--diagnostic problems]

Etiology, epidemiology and clinical symptoms of Mollaret's disease, also known as Cat-scratch disease, were described. Four cases of treated patients were presented. One patient with a history of type I Diabetes mellitus presented clinical symptoms of Mollaret's disease, however, after investigation he was finally diagnosed with malignant lymphoma and was given chemotherapy. In other cases some symptoms were also doubtful, but the final diagnoses were made upon positive results of serological reactions and all patients recovered completely after a few week antibiotic treatment. All patients had frequent contacts with cats. A significant divergence between the results of histopathological, serological and ultrasonographic findings lead to a conclusion that a certain diagnosis of Cat-scratch disease can only be made with the use of positive results of serological reactions.