2023-08-07 13:44:00
Dangerous germs Man becomes infected with unknown bacteria following a cat bite
Von Hedviga Nyarsik 07.08.2023, 15:44 Uhr
Cat bites usually look harmless, but they can be dangerous. Because the saliva of the animals contains a whole cocktail of bacteria – apparently also some that are not yet known, as a research team finds out in the case of a bitten Briton.
Thin, long canines that penetrate deep into the tissue: A cat bite looks harmless at first, but can have serious consequences. A man in Great Britain has to experience this firsthand. After the 48-year-old was attacked by a stray cat, he has to go to the hospital. There, the doctors made an astonishing discovery: the patient’s wound had become infected with a previously unknown type of bacteria. Scientists report their discovery in the current issue of the Fachzeitschrift “Emerging Infectious Diseases” fest.
The patient’s fingers, hands and arms are swollen following the cat bite.
(Foto: Jones et al., Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2023)
But from the front: A stray cat bites the British hands and arms several times. This triggers a violent immune response in him, the study says. Eight hours following the bite, the man’s limbs are so swollen that he is taken to the emergency room. Doctors clean and bandage his wounds, give him a tetanus shot, and send him home with a prescription for antibiotics.
The man returned to the hospital just a day later. Meanwhile, the little and middle fingers on his left hand are painfully swollen, and both forearms are red and thick. In an operation, doctors have to remove the damaged tissue around his wounds. He will also be given three different antibiotics intravenously. Fortunately, this time the treatment worked and the man made a full recovery.
New species of bacteria discovered
Because the patient’s reaction to the cat bite was unusually severe, doctors wanted to find out what caused it. To do this, they analyzed samples taken from the man and found a streptococcus-like organism. Streptococci are spherical bacteria. Most streptococci species are harmless and are found naturally on the skin and mucous membranes. However, some can also trigger serious diseases such as meningitis, tonsillitis or pneumonia.
When the researchers sequenced part of the genome of this bacterium, it did not match any of the known strains. They found that the new bacterium belonged to a genus of bacteria called Globicatella, which is distinct from related strains. According to the study, this indicates that it is an “independent and previously undescribed species”.
So far, two species of Globicatella bacteria have been identified, with only one species known to cause disease in humans. However, these cases are of particular concern because, according to the researchers, common antibiotics are poorly effective once morest the bacteria. Fortunately, most of the antibiotics the study authors tested once morest this new species in the laboratory proved effective.
Treat bites immediately
Nevertheless, the researchers issue a warning: No matter how cuddly cats may be, their bites and scratches should be taken seriously. Not only the potential germs in the mouth or on the paws of the animals make the injuries dangerous, but also the type of transmission. A cat’s claws and teeth can create small but deep puncture wounds, which then quickly close, trapping bacteria under the skin. Immunocompromised and elderly people are particularly at risk.
“Cat bites are a common source of zoonotic infections,” the authors of the current study summarize. “Our results underscore the role of cats as hosts for as yet undiscovered bacterial species that have human pathogenic potential.”
become in Germany up to 30,000 cat bites every year reported to the liability insurers. In almost half of those affected, the wound becomes infected. Therefore, any bite should be treated as soon as possible, advise experts. In the worst case, fingers would have to be amputated if the inflammation had progressed too far. If the germs get into the blood, it can even lead to life-threatening sepsis.
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