Korean J Pancreas Biliary Tract.  2024 Jan;29(1):20-24. 10.15279/kpba.2024.29.1.20.

Atypical Presentation of Cat-Scratch Disease Mimicking Malignancy: A Case Report

• Yustira RS
• Nugroho A
• Tambun R
• Mulyanto ID
• Eunike E
• Sutanto KW

• KMID: 2551377
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15279/kpba.2024.29.1.20

Abstract

Cat-scratch disease (CSD) is a bacterial infection which primarily transmitted to humans through scratches, bites, or licks from infected cats. Even though CSD is generally a mild condition, atypical symptoms may appear and must be distinguished from other diseases. We encountered a 57-year-old woman who presented with intermittent pain in the right upper quadrant and epigastric part of the abdomen, and had lost 11 kg within a few months. She never had a cat and did not recall being scratched by a cat. Radiologic examinations strongly suggest a malignant bile duct tumor, thus liver resection was done. However, the result of histopathology was a CSD. At follow-up, the patient was stable and also showed improvement in her general condition. Hence, proper preoperative examinations of the patients are crucial in order to avoid excessive or inadequate treatment.

Keyword

Cat-scratch disease; Bartonella henselae; Bacterial Infection; Lymphadenopathy