Changes

==Human Injury Caused by Cat Bites and Scratches==

==Human Injury Caused by Cat Bites and Scratches==

There is limited data available on the prevalence of cat bite/scratch injuries. One Italian study using emergency department treatment records found a rate of 17.9 cases of cat bites/scratches per 100,000 admissions, compared with 58.4 per 100,000 for dog bites<ref>Ostanello, F., Gherardi, A., Caprioli, A., La Placa, L., Passini, A., Prosperi, S. (2005) Incidence of injuries caused by dogs and cats treated in emergency departments in a major Italian city. Emerg Med J 2005;22:260–262.</ref>. Whereas dog bites cause crush, laceration and puncture wounds that become infected on 3-18% of occasions, cat bites usually cause a penetrating injury and 28-80% result in an infection that more often involves [[Pasteurella multocida|''Pasteurella multocida'']] and/or [[Staphylococcus aureus|''Staphylococcus aureus'']]<ref>Davies, H.D. (2000) When your best friend bites: A note on dog and cat bites. Can J Infect Dis. 11(5). 227-229</ref>. Human facial injuries due to cat bites are particularly serious, as surgical repair cannot be carried out until microbial infection is eliminated and damaged tissue debrided. Injuries to the hands and feet can result in serious complications, such as osteomyelitis. Another factor is the rising incidence of sharing of methicillin resistant ''Staphylococcus aureus'' between animals and their owners, with infection cycling between the animal and its various human acquaintances, which could become a significant problem in infected cat bites<ref>Oehler, R.L.,  Velez, A.P., Mizrachi, M., Lamarche, J., Gompf , S. (2009) Bite-related and septic syndromes caused by cats and dogs. Lancet Infect Dis. 9.439–47.</ref><br><br>

There is limited data available on the prevalence of cat bite/scratch injuries. One Italian study using emergency department treatment records found a rate of 17.9 cases of cat bites/scratches per 100,000 admissions, compared with 58.4 per 100,000 for dog bites<ref>Ostanello, F., Gherardi, A., Caprioli, A., La Placa, L., Passini, A., Prosperi, S. (2005) Incidence of injuries caused by dogs and cats treated in emergency departments in a major Italian city. Emerg Med J 2005;22:260–262.</ref>. Whereas dog bites cause crush, laceration and puncture wounds that become infected on 3-18% of occasions, cat bites usually cause a penetrating injury and 28-80% result in an infection that more often involves [[Pasteurella multocida|''Pasteurella multocida'']] and/or [[Staphylococcus aureus|''Staphylococcus aureus'']]<ref>Davies, H.D. (2000) When your best friend bites: A note on dog and cat bites. Can J Infect Dis. 11(5). 227-229</ref>. Human facial injuries due to cat bites are particularly serious, as surgical repair cannot be carried out until microbial infection is eliminated and damaged tissue debrided. Injuries to the hands and feet can result in serious complications, such as osteomyelitis. Another factor is the rising incidence of sharing of methicillin resistant ''Staphylococcus aureus'' between animals and their owners, with infection cycling between the animal and its various human acquaintances, which could become a significant problem in infected cat bites<ref>Oehler, R.L.,  Velez, A.P., Mizrachi, M., Lamarche, J., Gompf , S. (2009) Bite-related and septic syndromes caused by cats and dogs. Lancet Infect Dis. 9.439–47.</ref><br><br>

Cat scratch disease is a common and mostly benign condition caused by post-scratch infection with the gram negative bacteria ''Bartonella henselae'' or ''Bartonella quintana''<ref>Klotz, S.A., Ianas, V., Elliott, S.P. (2011). "Cat-scratch Disease". Am Fam Physician. 83(2). 152–5.</ref>. Symptoms are usually seen within 7-14 days of injury, but can take up to 2 months to appear. Symptoms include headache and joint and muscular pains, but severe cases can result in meningioencephalitis or endocarditis<ref>Klotz, S.A., Ianas, V., Elliott, S.P. (2011). "Cat-scratch Disease". Am Fam Physician. 83(2). 152–5.</ref>. Cats are generally less likely to cause injury to people than dogs, as their primary response to threat is escape and avoidance. The greatest risk of injury is when handling cats, but some cats will actively seek out and attack people.

Cat scratch disease is a common and mostly benign condition caused by post-scratch infection with the gram negative bacteria ''Bartonella henselae'' or ''Bartonella quintana''<ref name ="Klotz">Klotz, S.A., Ianas, V., Elliott, S.P. (2011). "Cat-scratch Disease". Am Fam Physician. 83(2). 152–5.</ref>. Symptoms are usually seen within 7-14 days of injury, but can take up to 2 months to appear. Symptoms include headache and joint and muscular pains, but severe cases can result in meningioencephalitis or endocarditis<ref name="Klotz"/>. Cats are generally less likely to cause injury to people than dogs, as their primary response to threat is escape and avoidance. The greatest risk of injury is when handling cats, but some cats will actively seek out and attack people.

==Risk Assessment==

==Risk Assessment==