Cat scratch disease associated with neuroretinitis in a 6-year-old girl.

Abstract

Cat scratch disease is a subacute regional lymphadenitis usually preceded by a history of being scratched by a cat or young kitten. The spectrum of illness ranges from mild self-limited adenopathy to severe systemic disease, including hepatosplenomegaly, encephalopathy, osteolytic lesions, splenic abscesses, mediastinal masses, and neuroretinitis. Vision loss is a rare complication of the disease. The authors report a patient with cat scratch disease associated with acute febrile illness, lymphocytic meningitis, and acute vision loss secondary to neuroretinitis. To their knowledge, this is the first ophthalmic case reported in which the diagnosis is supported by both a positive skin test and positive histopathology.