[Cat-scratch disease]

Cat scratch disease is a self-limited but chronic lymphadenitis which has acquired new interest by the description of a responsible pathogen, an intracellularly located gram-negative rod. Due to its low pathogenicity for laboratory animals, the definite proof for causality is still lacking. Severe systemic courses, mainly in immune suppressed patients, can however be identified more positively by detection of this pathogen. A routine diagnostic test is likely to be developed in the near future and therapeutic guidelines for the minority of severe, progressive forms may be drawn up.