Cat scratch disease presenting as breast mastitis
Gamblin, T.Clark.; Nobles-James, C.; Bradley, R.Andrew.; Katner, H.P.; Dale, P.S.
Canadian Journal of Surgery. Journal Canadien de Chirurgie 48(3): 254-255
2005
ISSN/ISBN: 0008-428X PMID: 16013636 Document Number: 592791
A 36-year-old woman with a history of right breast mastitis and axillary lymphadenopathy was treated with antibiotics orally without resolution of the infection [USA]. She reported having had soreness and erythema in her right breast and lymphadenopathy of the axilla for approximately 6 weeks. She also reported a cat scratch to her right breast that she noticed 2-3 weeks before presentation. Fine needle aspiration of the right axillary mass yielded a small amount of blood-tinged yellow fluid. Microscopic examination revealed lymph nodes with florid follicular hyperplasia and multiple discrete and confluent necrotizing granulomas suggestive of cat scratch disease. Steiner's stain, a silver stain similar to Warthin-Starry stain, revealed pleomorphic Gram-negative organisms. The patient was placed on a 3-week course of ciprofloxacin (500 mg orally twice a day), which resulted in total resolution of lymphadenopathy and mastitis.