Cat scratch disease: An unusual presentation

Abstract

Cat-scratch disease (CSD) is a zoonotic infection caused by Bartonella henselae occurring in about 24000 patients annually in the United States. It typically presents with fever and regional lymphadenopathy and is considered as one of the most common causes of chronic lymphadenitis in pediatric population. It generally has a benign and self-limited course, though this is not always the case. Rare forms of extra-nodal involvement, and fatalities in immunocompetent patients have been reported. We report a case of cat scratch disease presented with encephalitis without the usual prodromal symptoms. Cat-scratch encephalopathy should always be considered in patients with an altered mental status of unknown etiology.