1887

JMM Case Reports

Volume 4, Issue 2

Cat-bite-induced infection with a false-positive serological reaction for Open Access

Abstract

Tularaemia is caused by infection with transmitted via direct contact with an infected hare carcass or indirectly through the bites of vectors, but may be cat-bite-associated as well. Medical history and reliable diagnostic analysis are important in order to differentiate it from other cat-associated infections, e.g. spp.

A healthy 56-year-old man was examined because of a cat-bite-associated ulceroglandular wound on his right thumb. Nineteen days after the cat bite occurred, a serology test was positive for anti-, but negative for anti-. Since infections are rare in Sweden, another serology test was analysed 2 weeks later with a positive result for anti-. The patient was treated with doxycycline for 14 days and recovered. The patient was re-sampled after 18 months to obtain a convalescent sample. The acute and the convalescent samples were both analysed at a reference centre, with negative results for anti- spp. this time.

This case is enlightening about the importance of extending the medical history and re-sampling the patient for antibody detection when the clinical suspicion of cat-bite-associated tularaemia is high. The false-positive result for anti- antibodies may have been due to technical issues with the assay, cross-reactivity or both.

  • Received:
  • Accepted:
  • Published Online:
Keyword(s): Bartonella quintana , cross-reaction , Francisella tularensis , serology and tularaemia
© 2017 The Authors
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2017-02-28
2024-04-19
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