Cat scratch disease. A therapeutic dilemma.

Cat scratch disease, a relatively common infectious disease, is caused by a small gram-negative pleomorphic bacillus. The course of CSD is usually benign and self-limiting and is characterized by tender regional chronic (3 weeks or longer) lymphadenopathy and frequently preceded by a primary skin lesion following cat contact or scratches. Persistence of adenopathy for several months in a generally healthy patient with gradual spontaneous resolution of the enlarged node is the natural course.