Don't Ignore Cat Bite Wounds

Don't ignore cat bites. The proof is, just eight hours after getting a number of bites, a patient experienced severe swelling in his hand that made him rush to the emergency room.

The following article was translated using both Microsoft Azure Open AI and Google Translation AI.

KOMPAS/FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

A wild cat was found in RW 005 Sunter Agung, North Jakarta, on Wednesday (19/7/2023).

Although it may cause minor pain and often be overlooked, cat bites or scratches should not be taken lightly. Various disorders can arise as a result of cat bite or scratch wounds.

If lately we have often heard about rabies spreading in several regions, in England there is a cat bite that causes serious swelling on the fingers and hands. The swelling in the hand is caused by a bacterial infection that scientists have never seen before.

The story goes that a man (48) was bitten by a stray cat as written in Science Alert, August 7 2023. His body's immune response to foreign microorganisms is considered unusual (doozy). Just eight hours after taking the bites, the man's hand was badly swollen. He was rushed to the hospital's emergency room (ER).

This report highlights the role of cats as a reservoir for undiscovered bacterial species that have the potential to be pathogenic to humans.

The wounds on his hand were cleaned and wrapped. The man was also given a tetanus shot and then treated with antibiotic medication as an outpatient.

The next day, the man returned to the hospital. His little and middle fingers on his left hand had swollen and were painful. Both lower arms were red and swollen.

JURNAL

The condition of the patient's hand and fingers (a 48-year-old male) which swelled due to Globicatella bacterial infection caused by a wild cat bite in England. It appears that (A) the left pinkie finger (B) the right hand (C) the middle finger of the right hand (D) the right hand.

Doctors had to perform surgery to remove damaged tissue around the wound. He was also given three types of antibiotics through intravenous injections into his bloodstream. He was allowed to go home or receive outpatient treatment with oral antibiotics. Fortunately, this time his treatment was successful. He fully recovered.

Genome sequencing

However, local doctors are curious about the impact of the cat bites and scratches suffered by the man. They are trying to find out the cause.

When analyzing the microorganisms present in samples from the man's wound, they found an unrecognizable Streptococcus bacteria-like organism. This type of bacteria is a genus of gram-positive bacteria associated with meningitis, sore throat, pneumonia, pink eye, and a number of other diseases.

However, when researchers sorted parts of the bacteria's genome, it turned out to be incompatible with any known strain. This is a new germ that has not been officially documented by scientists.

A cat received a rabies vaccine during an event organized by the Indonesian Veterinary Association at Imam Bardjo Auditorium, Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java, on Saturday (5/8/2023).

After further checking, the bacteria came from another genus which is also a gram-positive bacterium called Globicatella. Full genome sequencing of the bacterium showed it differed from other related strains, such as G sulfidfaciens, by about 20 percent. This denotes “a distinct and previously undescribed species”.

Since G sulfidifaciens is resistant to several common types of antibiotics, this makes it difficult to eradicate from the body. Fortunately, the new strain discovered in the UK responds well to at least some antibiotics.

However, this incident holds an important warning for the public. "This report highlights the role of cats as a reservoir of bacterial species that have not yet been discovered and have potential pathogens for humans," wrote the authors of the study.

Also Read: Thematic Report "Kompas" Healthy with Animals

The finding of Globicatella bacteria in wounds caused by cat bites/scratches was reported in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, Volume 29, which administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The research team was led by Nick K Jones from Cambridge University Hospitals.

Cat bites and scratches that penetrate the skin cause 66,000 emergency room visits each year in the United States. Many of them require antibiotics, or even surgery, to prevent serious infections.

In Indonesia, the Ministry of Health reported a relatively increasing trend of rabies transmission cases caused by animal bites, including cats. From 82,634 cases in 2020, the number rose to 57,257 cases in 2021 and 104,229 cases in 2022 (Kompas.id, July 21, 2023).

Somewhat outdated data from Mayo Clinic's 2014 study shows that cat bites are very dangerous, with 1 out of 3 patients requiring hospitalization. Two-thirds of those hospitalized require medical interventions such as surgery. The majority of victims are middle-aged women.

Also Read: Beware of Cat Injuries to Avoid Rabies Transmission

Cat bites are more dangerous than dog bites not because their mouths have more germs. The strong suspicion is that cat teeth are sharper than dogs. The duller teeth of dogs do not penetrate too deeply or leave large wounds.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

A wild cat with missing lower teeth and one fang remaining was spotted at Pasar Bogor, Bogor City, West Java, in early August 2021.

"Cat teeth are sharp and can penetrate very deeply, which can spread bacteria in joints and tendon sheaths," said senior author Brian Carlsen, a Mayo Clinic plastic surgeon and orthopedic hand surgeon, on the Mayo Clinic< page. /a>, February 5, 2014.

Thus, bacteria enter into the tendon sheath or into the joint. There, the bacteria will grow with the relative protection of the blood and immune system. Carlsen et al.'s research was published in The Journal of Hand Surgery.

Therefore, experts recommend that if you are attacked by a stray cat, you should immediately wash the wound gently with soap or salt. Then, immediately consult a doctor for further treatment.