Infección por bartonella henselae en pacientes inmunocompetentes: enfermedad por arañazo de gato / Infection by bartonella henselae in immunocompetent patients: cat scratch disease

ABSTRACT

Ten children (7 males), aged between 6 and 13 years old, with histologically or serologically confirmed cat scratch disease are reported. Lympadenopathy location was pre auricular in four cases, axillary in two, inguinal in 2 and epitrochlear in 2. Three children had fever over 39ºC and 2 had a Parinaud syndrome. Nine children had a history of cat scratch and one of a cat byte. Six had an arythrocyte sedimentation rate over 40. Lymph node ultrasound examination was a useful diagnostic tool. Two patients had splenic granulomas. Lymph node biopsies were obtained in 4 cases, showing a suppurative granulomatous lymphadenitis in all and positive Warthin-Starry stain in 2. Serology, done in patients without histological confirmation was positive with titles ranging from 164 to 18192. All patients had a satisfactory outcome with regression of lymphadenopathy. Infection by bartonella henselae occur in the Chilean population and must be considered in the differential diagnosis of regional lymph node enlargement