What is the cause of the disease
– Today, at least eight different strains of Bartonella (in Latin Bartonella) have been isolated, which can cause various infectious human pathologies. But felines usually carry Bartonella henselae, the most common bacillus. Not only people are sick, but also cats themselves, dogs and some other animals. The infection was named for its connection with scratching the cat and the subsequent development of symptoms.
The bacteria are transmitted to the cats themselves through flea bites, as well as through the bites of other insects (ticks, flies, horseflies). Fleas suck blood, receiving bartonella from a sick animal. The pathogens multiply inside the flea’s body and are then excreted in their feces. Some bacteria get caught in the claws of cats. When a cat scratches a person, the bartonella penetrate the body.
Moreover, you can catch bartonella by licking a scratch, kissing your beloved cat on the nose, or if the animal’s saliva or contents from under the claws get into the eyes, specifies Vera Samsonova.