Bacteria Pasteurella Multocida in Mouth of Cat Can Cause Meningitis

Bacteria Pasteurella Multocida in Mouth of Cat Can Cause Meningitis

There is one case reported on the Internet of a domestic cat licking a baby's bottle and thereby transmitting to the baby a certain bacteria in the cat's mouth to the baby whereupon the baby developed meningitis.  This is extremely rare and it should not worry mothers but I am reporting it nonetheless.

This particular bacteria mentioned in the title and the link above can of course be deposited under the skin of a person if a cat bites a person but let me say right away that there really is never a good reason why a cat bites a person because cat bites can always be avoided by the person provided he or she adopts an aware and intelligent approach to their interactions with the domestic cat.  It may be harder to deal with feral cats and avoid scratches and bites but then again it depends upon how the person handles the cats and interacts with them.  It is in the hands of the person literally to manage themselves carefully or, let's put it this way, to respect the cat.

Certain groups of people are more vulnerable to the effects of this bacteria than others and these are people who are suffering from immunosuppression meaning that they have weak immune systems.  Diabetics, people with prosthetic joints and women who have undergone a mastectomy are also more prone to suffer more serious effects from this bacteria.  These groups of people may consider not keeping a cat for this reason.  I regret saying that because I really don't see why anybody can't keep a cat.

The treatment of an infection by this bacteria has to be conducted with care because, for example, Erythromycin,  a well-known antibiotic cannot of itself resolve the problem.  If the person is treated simply with this antibiotic the infection may get worse leading to serious consequences.

Clearly, it is important that a doctor analyses the cause of the infection carefully and thereafter treats the patient appropriately.