Kitten scratched and infected, will it be contagious?

Keeping pets at home, such as cats, can help foster a sense of empathy in children. However, caring for and raising these furry animals certainly does not escape the risk of scratching. In some cases, children who have been scratched by cats can also become infected. So, can the infection be transmitted to other children around him? Come on, find out the following truth.

Why do children get infected after being scratched by a cat?

Cat scratches generally make your little one's skin blister. Generally, these wounds heal and usually leave no scars. However, in some cases, cat scratch disease can cause infection and this is known in medical terms as cat scratch disease.

This occurs due to the presence of bacteria Bartonella henselae,that is, bacteria that live in the cat's saliva, infecting a child's skin through open wounds. Bartonella bacteria are only present in infected cats which are initially spread by fleas.

Cats infected with these bacteria don't look sick. The cat will stay healthy even if it carries the bacteria in its saliva for months. On average, infected cats are cats that are under 1 year of age.

In fact, this infection doesn't just happen after a child has been scratched by a cat. Infection can also be obtained from the skin of a child who is injured from falling or scratching, after which the cat's saliva is exposed. Once infected, the area of the injured skin will appear swollen, red, and pus. When touched it will feel sore and warm.

In some cases, cat scratch disease can cause symptoms of fever, headache, decreased appetite and fatigue. In addition, the lymph nodes around the armpits, neck, and groin will also swell.

Is the cat scratch infection in this child contagious?

Reporting from the Kids Health page, cat scratch infection on children's skin cannot be transmitted from person to person. The bacteria can only be spread by infected cats. That means, your little one will not pass this infection on to friends or family members who are at home.

If there are family members who are infected, it is likely that the transmission process can be obtained from interaction with an infected cat while the skin is being injured.

However, the appearance of a blister filled with pus in this child is not always the result of a cat scratch infection. It can also be caused by other skin diseases that cause similar symptoms, such as impetigo.

This disease can be transmitted easily by touching the blister or using the same item.

Immediately take your little one to the doctor

Before being prescribed treatment, the doctor will first check the skin condition of your little one. The doctor will look for scars around the skin that are swollen and purulent, ownership of the cat, or play habits of the child.

If your child does have a cat and there is a scar around the infection, cat scratch disease in the child could be the cause. If the doctor has difficulty making a diagnosis, further medical tests may be needed, such as blood tests and blood culture tests.

When the diagnosis of cat scratch disease has been confirmed, the doctor will treat it with antibiotics to stop the infection. Other medications prescribed are acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve fever, swelling, and pain.

So that your little one does not experience the same problem in the future, you should not have a cat who is suspected of carrying the infection. Then, always clean and care for the skin of the child that is injured or chafed.

If you want to return to raising a cat, be sure to maintain a clean body so that it is free from fleas that spread bacteria. Don't forget to take him to the vet to have his health checked. Teach children to always wash their hands after they play with their cats.