Cat-scratch disease during anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha therapy: case report and review of the literature

Cat scratch disease during etanercept therapy in a rheumatoid arthritis patient

Cat scratch disease (CSD) is an infectious disorder caused by Bartonella henselae and characterized by fever and granulomatous lymphadenopathy. Immunosuppression is a risk factor for the development of atypical forms of the disease. We report the case of a 52-year-old woman who presented with fever and bilateral inguinal lymph node enlargement. She did not have apparent contact with animals. The patient was receiving etanercept therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. Lymph node biopsy demonstrated granulomatous lymphadenitis. She was successfully managed by discontinuing etanercept and by treatment with minocycline. She developed clinical remission and typical seroconversion. Infection with Bartonella should be considered in the differential diagnosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients with lymphadenopathy of unknown origin.

Cat scratch disease during infliximab therapy: a case report and literature review

Cat scratch disease may occur during etanercept therapy, but there has been no report on infliximab-associated cat scratch disease. We report a case of a 23-year-old woman who developed right inguinal lymph node enlargement following a cat scratch. The patient had received infliximab therapy for spondyloarthropathy. She was successfully managed by discontinuing infliximab and by treatment with moxifloxacin and amikacin.