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Updated: Jun 23, 2025

Granulocyte-dependent Autoantibody-induced Skin Blistering
Published on: October 12, 2012
[Cat-scratch disease, clinical features in adults]
Edwin A Rodríguez Arias1, Rossio G Ortuño Lobo1, Constanza Giardullo1
1Servicio de Clínica Médica, Hospital Nacional Profesor Alejandro Posadas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Introduction:
Cat-scratch disease (CSD) is caused by Bartonella henselae and it is under-recognized in adults because it mainly affects children. Clinical course is commonly benign and self-limited; occasionally, there may be systemic involvement.
Methods:
Case-series study carried out in a tertiary care hospital in Buenos Aires suburbs. Patients older than 15 years diagnosed with CSD over a 5-year period were included (2016-2021).
Results:
30 adult patients were analyzed, with a median age of 20.5 years (IQR 17-29), 73% (n = 22) were male; 96% (n = 27) had history of exposure to cats. The most common clinical presentation of CSD was peripheral lymphadenopathy (90%), the average complication rate was 33% (n = 10), 86.7% (n = 26) received antimicrobial therapy, with a median duration of 5 days (IQR 5-10). Outcome was favorable in 83% (n = 25), 16% (n = 5) were lost to follow-up.
Discussion:
Clinical features of CSD in adults are poorly described in the worldwide literature. Diagnosis can be challenging because the clinical hallmark is regional lymphadenopathy.
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