Premium
Cat scratch disease diagnosed by polymerase chain reaction in a patient with suspected tuberculous lymphadenitis
Author(s) -
Gottlieb Tom,
Atkins Bridget L,
Robson Jenny M B
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1999.tb127714.x
Subject(s) - cat scratch disease , bartonella henselae , tuberculous lymphadenitis , tuberculosis , medicine , serology , polymerase chain reaction , pathology , lymph node , biopsy , mycobacterium tuberculosis , disease , bartonella , lymph node biopsy , dermatology , immunology , virology , antibody , biology , gene , biochemistry
We present a patient diagnosed as having tuberculous lymphadenitis after lymph node biopsy and referred for tuberculous therapy. On review, because of recent cat exposure, she was tested for cat scratch disease (CSD), but serological tests for Bartonella henselae were negative. However, the diagnosis of CSD was confirmed, and tuberculosis excluded, by poylmerase chain reaction techniques. This case serves as a reminder that CSD may mimic tuberculosis histologically and that sensitive molecular diagnostic tests are available.