Being bitten by a cat on the street can be more dangerous than you think.
In the UK, a 48-year-old man contracted a bacteria after being bitten by a stray cat. Scientists have never seen it before.
Just eight hours after being bitten, the man’s hands were reportedly so swollen that he had to go to the emergency room Science Alert.
Being bitten by a cat on the street can be more dangerous than you think.
His wound was cleaned and bandaged, and he was treated tetanus before being sent home with antibiotics.
A day later, he returned to the hospital. The little and middle fingers of his left hand were painfully enlarged, Both of his forearms were red and swollen.
A) showing her left pinky finger, B) her right forearm (Jones et al., Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2023).
doctors have to Surgical removal of damaged tissue around his wound. He was also allegedly given three different antibiotics intravenously and went home on oral antibiotics. Science Alert.
Fortunately, this time the treatment worked and he made a full recovery.
they found something unknown
Back at the hospital, however, doctors were scrambling to figure out what had happened.when they analyze microorganism In samples from his wound, they found an unrecognized organism similar to streptococcus.
Streptococcus is a Gram-positive bacterium that has been linked to meningitis, strep throat, bacterial pneumonia and conjunctivitis, among many other diseases, he said. Science Alert.
But when the researchers sequenced part of the bacterium’s genome, Does not match any recorded strain.
C) His right middle finger, D) His right hand. (Jones et al., Emerging Infectious Diseases, 2023).
Therefore, this bacterium belongs to another genus of Gram-positive bacteria called cocciform bacteria.
Whole-genome sequencing of the bacterium revealed that it differed by about 20 percent from other related strains such as G. sulfidfaciens, suggesting it is a “unique and previously undescribed species.” Science Alert.
Because G. sulfidifaciens is resistant to several common types of antibiotics, it can Difficult to eradicate from the body. Fortunately, the new strain found in the UK responds well to at least some antibiotics, but the story serves as a cautionary tale for the public.
“This report highlights the role of cats as hosts for undiscovered bacterial species with human pathogenic potential,” the authors of the case study wrote.
In the United States, 66,000 people visit emergency rooms each year for cat bites and skin-piercing scratches. Many require antibiotics and even surgery, to prevent serious infection.
Cat bites and scratches that pierce the skin often require antibiotics and even surgery to prevent serious infection.
Like all animals, cats can carry some very harmful pathogens. The fact that they also have pointy teeth and claws means they can drive them deep into the skin.In the event of a bite or scratch in a jointmay be difficult to attack, denoting Science Alert.
Therefore, experts say that if attacked by a stray cat, the wound should be washed gently immediately. Wash with soap or salt and seek medical attention immediately.
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