Uncommonly, Afipia felis can cause cat-scratch disease. Blood cultures of kittens are frequently for B. henselae .
Adult cats are culture-negative but seropositive.
Familial cases may occur after the addition of a kitten to a household. Incidence 20,000 cases annually in the United States. Approximately 2,000 of which are hospitalized. Regional adenopathy often develops 5 to 50 days after the primary lesion appears. Some patients may have a mild fever with malaise as a prodrome.