Summary
The aetiological agent of cat scratch disease (CSD) has been unknown for more than 30 years. Recently, a micro-organism clearly shown with Warthin-Starry silver (W-S) stain was found and thought to be a possible cause of the disease. In this study, 32 cases of regional lymphadenopathy histologically compatible with CSD and 20 contrasting cases of lymphadenopathy were examined retrospectively with W-S stain. W-S positive pleomorphic organisms were clearly demonstrated in 20 of the 32 suspected cases of CSD, but in none of the other cases. The onset of disease in these 20 cases with W-S positive organisms occurred between July and January. This seasonal variation in the onset of disease was highly significant (P<0.005) and was not due to a single epidemic. Moreover, some characteristic morphological features of the organism were found by electron microscopic observations. Ultrastructurally, the organism was a bacterium showing a chain-like arrangement, septal formation, branching and clubbed ends.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Boyd GL, Craig G (1961) Etiology of cat-scratch fever. J Pediatrics 59:313–317
Bridges CH, Luna L (1957) Kerr's improved Warthin-Starry technic: study of the permissible variations. Lab Invest 6:357–367
Brown RC, Hopps HC (1973) Staining of bacteria in tissue sections: a reliable gram stain method. Am J Clin Pathol 59:234–240
Carithers HA (1970) Cat-scratch disease: notes on its history. Am J Dis Child 119:200–203
Cotter B, Maurer R, Hedinger Chr (1986) Cat scratch disease: evidence for a bacterial etiology. Virchows Arch A [Pathol Anat] 410:103–106
Daniels WB, MacMurray FG (1954) Cat scratch disease: report of one hundred sixty cases. JAMA 154:1247–1251
Debré R (1950) La maladie des griffes de chat. Marseille Méd 87:375–378
Debré R, Lamy M, Jammet ML, Costill L, Mozziconacci P (1950a) La maladie des griffes de chat. Sem Hôp 26:1895–1904
Debré R, Lamy M, Jammet ML, Costill L, Mozziconacci P (1950b) La maladie des griffes de chat. Bull Soc Méd Hôp, Paris 66:76–79
Emmons RW (1984) Cat scratch disease: the mystery finally solved? Ann Intern Med 100:303–304
Fowler RS, Bailey JD (1961) Cat scratch disease in childhood. Canad Med Assoc J 84:1365–1368
Fox RA (1952) So-called cat scratch fever. AMA Arch Path 54:75–83
Gerber MA, Sedgwick AK, MacAlister TJ, Gustafson KB, Ballow M, Tilton RC (1985) The aetiological agent of cat scratch disease. Lancet 1:1236–1239
Gifford H (1955) Skin-test reactions to cat-scratch disease among veterinarians. Arch Intern Med 95:828–833
Hadfield TL, Malaty RH, Dellen AV, Wear DJ, Margileth AM (1985) Electron microscopy of the bacillus causing cat-scratch disease. J Infect Dis 152:643–645
Kalter SS, Prier JE, Prior JT (1955) Recent studies on the diagnosis of cat scratch fever. Ann Intern Med 42:562–573
Kalter SS, Kim CS, Heberling RL (1969) Herpes-like virus particles associated with cat scratch disease. Nature 224:190
Katayama I, Mochino T (1983) Naphthol AS-D chloroacetate esterase reaction: systematic modifications for optimization to smears and sections. Acta Pathol Jpn 33:381–393
Kikuchi M, Yoshizumi T, Nakamura H (1977) Necrotizing lymphadenitis: possible acute toxoplasmic infection. Virchows Arch [Pathol Anat Histopathol] 376:247–253
Kitchell CC, DeGirolami PC, Balogh K (1985) Bacillary organisms in cat scratch disease. N Eng J Med 313:1090–1091
Korbi S, Toccanier M-F, Leyvraz G, Stalder J, Kapanci Y (1986) Use of silver staining (Dieterlé's stain) in the diagnosis of cat scratch disease. Histopathology 10:1015–1021
Margileth AW, Wear DJ, Hadfield TL, Schlagel CJ, Spigel GT, Muhlbauer JE (1984) Cat-scratch disease: bacteria in skin at the primary inoculation site. JAMA 252:928–931
Merten DF (1957) A review of cat scratch disease: nonbacterial regional lymphadenitis. Va Med Mthl 84:304–308
Miller-Catchpole R, Variakojis D, Vardiaman JW, Loew JM, Carter J (1986) Cat scratch disease: identification of bacteria in seven cases of lymphadenitis. Am J Surg Pathol 10:276–281
Mollaret P, Reilly J, Bastin R, Tournier P (1951a) La découverte du virus de la lymphorécticulose bénigne d'inoculation: I. Caractérisation sérologique et immunologique. Presse Méd 59:681–682
Mollaret P, Reilly J, Bastin R, Tournier P (1951b) La découverte du virus de la lymphoréticulose bénigne d'inoculation: II. Inoculation expérimentale au singe et colorations. Presse Méd 59:701–704
Osborne BM, Butler JJ, Mackay B (1987) Ultrastructural observations in cat scratch disease. Am J Clin Pathol 87:739–744
Robb-Smith AHT, Taylor CR (1981) Lymph Node Biopsy. Miller-Heyden, London, pp 76–85
Roth GD, Garrison RG, Boyd KS (1976) Ultrastructure ofRothia dentocariosa. J Gen Microbiol 95:45–53
Spaulding WB, Hennessy JN (1960) Cat scratch disease: a study of eighty-three cases. Am J Med 28:504–509
Turner W, Bigley NJ, Dodd MC, Anderson G (1960) Hemagglutinating virus isolated from cat scratch disease. J Bacteriol 80:430–435
Turner RR, Martin J, Dorfman RF (1983) Necrotizing lymphadenitis: a study of 30 cases. Am J Surg Pathol 7:115–123
Warwick WJ, Good RA (1960) Cat-scratch disease in Minnesota: I. Evidence for its epidemic occurrence. Am J Dis Child 100:228–235
Warwick WJ (1967) The cat-scratch syndrome, many diseases or one disease? Prog Med Virol 9:256–301
Wear DJ, Margileth AM, Hadfield TL, Fischer GW, Schlagel CJ, King FM (1983) Cat scratch disease: a bacterial infection. Science 221:1403–1405
Wear DJ, Malaty RH, Zimmerman LE, Hadfield TL, Margileth AM (1985) Cat scratch disease bacilli in the conjunctiva of patients with Parinaud's oculoglandular syndrome. Ophthalmology 92:1282–1287
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kudo, E., Sakaki, A., Sumitomo, M. et al. Cat scratch disease. Vichows Archiv A Pathol Anat 412, 563–572 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844292
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844292