infections
Cat Scratch Disease
Symptoms of Cat Scratch Disease
At the site of a cat bite or scratch, a red, painless bump develops within about 3 to 10 days. The bump usually has a crust and sometimes contains pus. Within 2 weeks (sometimes after the scratch has healed), nearby lymph nodes swell and become tender and filled with pus. People may have a fever, headache, and poor appetite. Sometimes pus drains from the swollen lymph nodes. Usually, people have no other symptoms, and cat-scratch disease resolves on its own. But in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, AIDS, or another condition that weakens the immune system, infection can spread throughout the body and, without treatment, can be fatal. 