How fast can cat scratch fever develop?

October 25, 2009

My 3 yr old was DX'd with CVID at 1 yr but due to insurance issues got

booted to UCLA who is taking a wait and see approach and won't re dx her or

start Ig even though the previous Dr's did. Anyway she tends to get infected

cuts and what not really really easy. About 3 days ago the neighbors cat

scratched her, didn't look like a big deal. Cleaned it up, put polysporn on

it and sent her back out to play. Today she was showing it my mom and while

on the surface it looked pretty ok my mom realized there's a firm mass

underneath it, like an abscess. dd says its painful and doesn't want us

messing with it. I called the ped and she said since we started abx

yesterday (took her in Saturday for a sinus infection that's backed up into

her ears, low grade temp and all her neck lymph nodes were big) to apply

heat and wait until tomorrow and see what it does but if its not getting

smaller then bring her in and they'll lance it. You can't see it from the

surface at all really.

Anyway the neighbor and I were discussing it (I wanted to find out if the

cat had its shots or used a litter box) and she wondered if it was catch

scratch fever. I googled it and realized that there's 2 lymph nodes at the

elbow right where the mass is and it could very well be swollen lymph nodes

and not an abcess. Does anyone know if it can develop this fast? Googling

seems to indicate it takes a couple of weeks to develop and of course its a

harmless flu like illness unless you have immune issues and see your Dr

right away if you do.

I'm going to take her in in the morning regardless but anyway have any info

on cat scratch fever?

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