Cat claw fever is a bacterial disease. It is caused by the bacterial infection "Bartonella henselae", and this bacteria can be transmitted to humans through cat scratches or bites, so it is also called "cat scratch disease". But being scratched by a cat does not necessarily mean you will be infected with this disease. Only cats that carry parasites such as fleas can become contagious only after fleas transmit this bacteria to the cat.

Symptoms of cat claw fever:

1. After the patient is scratched and bitten by a cat, one to several erythematous papules will appear locally. The pain is not obvious, and a few papules can change. They are blisters or pustules that occasionally burst to form small ulcers.

2. Patients may develop swollen lymph nodes in the drainage area 1-2 weeks after being infected by cat scratches, and swollen lymph nodes in the head and neck, armpits, and groin are common.

3. Conjunctivitis accompanied by enlarged preauricular lymph nodes is one of the important characteristics of cat-scratch disease. Most patients have mild fever or fatigue, and some suffer from gastrointestinal symptoms such as headache, anorexia, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.

4. Including encephalopathy, chronic severe organ damage and arthropathy, patients may also develop symptoms such as transient maculopapular rash, erythema multiforme, thrombocytopenic purpura, parotid gland enlargement, etc., but rate is lower.