Tularemia from a cat bite: case report and review of feline-associated tularemia

Abstract

We report the case of a 63-year-old man who developed ulceroglandular tularemia complicated by pneumonia following a cat bite. A review of the literature revealed 51 cases of cat-related tularemia reported since 1928. Details of 15 cases (including the present case) were available and analyzed. If, following feline contact, patients develop pneumonia or if patients with skin and soft-tissue infection fail to respond to therapy with penicillin, physicians should be alerted to the possibility of tularemia. A greater awareness of this complication following a cat bite or cat scratch is important for recognizing this uncommon infection.