My daughter had been diagnosed with this 2 years ago. She was on antibotics for 4 weeks.
Isn't this a tick bourne disease?
Thanks Brneyedgrl
Cat-Scratch Disease
Cat-scratch disease is an infection at the site of a cat scratch caused by the bacterium Bartonella henselae.
After a person is scratched by a cat infected with Bartonella henselae, the bacteria tend to infect the walls of the blood vessels. The cat usually shows no signs of illness.
Symptoms
Within 3 to 10 days of getting a minor scratch, the person usually develops a red, crusted blister up to 21/2 inches in diameter. Rarely, a blister containing pus (pustule) appears.
Lymph nodes in the area swell, become firm, and are tender when touched. Later, they fill with pus and may drain through the skin. The person may feel ill, have a lack of appetite, and have a fever or headache. About 10 percent of the infected people have other symptoms, such as eye problems, which cause visual changes, or brain swelling, which causes a headache or stupor.
In almost all infected people, the skin clears up and the swelling in the lymph nodes disappears within 2 to 5 months. Recovery is complete. A severe form of cat-scratch disease can occur in people with AIDS.
Diagnosis and Treatment
The diagnosis of cat-scratch disease seems likely if a person has swollen lymph nodes for more than 3 weeks after being scratched by a cat. In uncertain cases, a blood sample may be tested for antibodies to Bartonella henselae.
Treatment consists of applying heat and taking pain relievers. A fluid-filled lymph node that is painful can usually be drained with a needle to alleviate the pain. Antibiotics may be given to help eradicate the bacteria, especially in people with AIDS.
http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_home/sec17/177.htm
Lupin Ap4A hydrolase has particularly high sequence identity with the Ap4A hydrolase encoded by ialA, one of two genes associated with the ability of Bartonella bacilliformis to invade and survive as a parasite of human erythrocytes [4].
Lupin Ap4A hydrolase is also a magnesium-dependent enzyme.
http://www.biochemj.org/bj/357/0399/bj3570399.htm
I am on Zith and Levaquin right now.
Don't know if I'm herxing or just sick but I have the worst sore throat than I think I have ever had.
as marnie wote, bartonella is primarily transmitted from cats, that show no sign of disease--they are just carriers.
but also bartonella is a tick-born disease. i read that 85% of ticks in north carolina (where i live) carry the bartonella bacterium. i believe i was infected by a tick.
it's hard to know which of my symptoms could be bartonella and which are lyme. they seem so similar and i've tested positive for both.
before i was diagnosed i regularly went to an acupunturist that really helped my lymph nodes get back to normal. i think the acupunctur still is what makes me feel the best.
is your daughter better? which antibiotics did she take? are you concerned she has lyme?
No my daughter is not any better and I am taking her back to her pcp today. I am going to tell him it is time to quit treating the symptoms and find a cause.
Yes, I am concerned about lyme because about
11 years ago there was a epidemic here in our area . She had multiple rash with bullseye appearance.
The PCP she was seeing at that time told me she had a allergic reaction to strep bacteria. Not to any medicines but to the bacteria itself.
I have never heard of that but am concerned she was misdiagnosed. He gave her a shot of prednisone in her hip area which caused some muscle wasting at that time.
Two years ago was when she was diagnosed with cat scratch fever (which she was never tested for) and took several different antiboitics until Biaxen finally took the swelling down in her lymph nodes.
I did a search with all her symptoms on the internet which came up lyme disease?
Could this had been the mysterious rash she had years ago?
She now has several cysts on her and also fibrocystic breast disease.
We live so far from all the LLMD's that it would be impossible for her to be seen.
Thanks Brneyedgrl