Cat Scratch Neuroretinitis: About a Case

Abstract

<p>Cat scratch disease is a zoonosis distributed throughout the world where cats are the primary reservoir of Bartonella henselae, with the cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) as the primary vector among them. Such disease is characterized by predominantly systemic manifestations in the brain, eye, liver, spleen, and bone. We present the case of a 29-year-old female patient who consulted for decreased visual acuity (VA) and pulsatile eye pain of intensity 8/10 according to the visual analog scale (VAS) in the left eye (LE), without symptoms nor clinical manifestations in the right eye (RE). She presented associated symptoms like unquantified fever and neck pain. The ophthalmological clinical examination revealed a vascularized optic disc with poorly defined edges, concomitant macular edema, retinal thickening, and lipid exudates in the central 6 mm, with a clinical presentation associated with a macular star. Fluorescein angiography (FAG) revealed papillary hyperfluorescence by staining in the arterial phase and optical coherence tomography (OCT), with an altered internal retinal profile and architecture. Serology was positive for Bartonella henselae (IgG 1: 256; IgM 1:32). The timely recognition of ocular signs and clinical support through diagnostic images favors resolution and visual recovery through pharmacological management with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.</p>