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Dogs and Cats Living Together |
Patient T.T.H, a 38-month-old child from Hanoi, was diagnosed with lymphadenitis caused by cat scratch fever, a rare and unusual disease. After more than a month of treatment, the child has returned to normal.
On September 24, the ABCD pediatric clinic on Giang Van Minh Street, Hanoi, received a patient exhibiting various symptoms simultaneously, notably with the presence of ruptured lymph nodes and ulceration on both sides of the neck.
According to the child’s family, the lymph nodes had appeared for a month, but the child did not exhibit any fever, and treatment with antibiotics at Bach Mai Hospital was ineffective. Subsequently, the family transferred the child to the Central Pediatric Hospital. Here, the patient was treated with Battarium and several other medications.
At the ABCD clinic, doctors reported that the child showed signs of acute pharyngitis, with two ruptured pus-filled lymph nodes on both sides of the neck, along with multiple small lymph nodes emerging in the same area. The patient was diagnosed with ruptured pus-filled lymphadenitis and was treated with Zinat (Cefuroxime) antibiotics along with other supportive medications.
”The Culprit is the Cat Scratch”
Alongside sending the patient for various tests, doctors at the Central Pediatric Hospital performed a needle aspiration to clarify the cause of the illness. However, there were many inconsistencies during testing, making it difficult to explain the condition. The lymph nodes contained lymphocytes, leading doctors to propose two hypotheses: lymphadenitis due to cat scratch fever or tuberculosis.
However, results from the Central Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases were negative for tuberculosis. Finally, Dr. Tran Thi Thu Ha, Deputy Head of the Rehabilitation Department at the Central Pediatric Hospital, sent the medical records and test results to the United States for consultation with medical experts.
According to the results from the American specialists, patient H. was diagnosed with lymphadenitis caused by cat scratch fever, and they provided a treatment regimen consisting of three main antibiotics: Bactrim, Cefotaxime, and Azithromycin.
After following the treatment plan recommended by the American experts, patient H has now fully recovered. According to the child’s mother, the family owns a cat, and H. frequently plays with it.
Lệ Hà
