I'm reading "‘Cat-scratch’ bacteria linked to schizophrenia, study says."
“Historically, prior to psychiatric symptom onset, the boy was socially, athletically, and academically active, as evidenced by participation in national geography and history competitions, and a lead actor in a school play, winning an award in fencing and achieving excellent course grades,” a 2019 study by [Edward] Breitschwerdt reported about the boy, who was initially diagnosed with schizophrenia. He was once placed on a psychiatric hold for a week after saying he was an “evil, damned son of the devil,” according to a report at the time.... After receiving antibiotics to treat the infection, the boy made a “full” recovery.
The pathogen, Bartonella, is more commonly known as the cause of "cat-scratch" disease. That disease has symptoms like swelling and malaise. This newly reported link to schizophrenia is something else.
Here's the new study.
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86 comments:
I'd get rid of my cats, but I'm already psychotic so why bother.
Anxiously awaiting cat lady jokes.
Cat scratch fever.
Only those who have had feline lymphoma (cat scratch fever) can understand just how debilitating it is. You think you're going to die until it goes away, and there isn't a lot they can do for you. You sit there thirsty and look at a glass of water, but you can't summon the energy to drink it.
Ask me how I know. In retrospect, this may explain a lot.
Ted Nugent was all over this years ago.
Never have liked those things. I have a friend who ended up in the hospital gravely ill from a cat scratch.
As someone pointed out yesterday, Sharon Stone gave her husband Komodo Dragon Fever.
The disease you're calling "cat scratch fever" is "cat scratch disease," the term I used in the post. I linked to the Wikipedia article about it.
Here's a very similar paper about the same kid, published two years ago. Dunno why it's back in the fakenews
Are cats checked for this infection each year, the way dogs are for heart worm and other infections? I would hope so, considering the human public health implications.
This newly reported link to schizophrenia is something else.
It was newly reported at least two years ago.
You’ve got to have a Ted Nugent tag!
JSM
The disease you're calling "cat scratch fever" is "cat scratch disease," the term I used in the post. I linked to the Wikipedia article about it.
Wiki also calls it "cat scratch fever".
The psychosis didn't result from bacteria transmitted when the kid was scratched by his cat, it resulted from the betrayal.
He was once placed on a psychiatric hold for a week after saying he was an “evil, damned son of the devil,”
Must've been a black cat.
Maybe this explains the Crazy Cat Lady Phenomenon. Which might in turn explain how Hillary became the Nominee in 2016 and thus was the reason Donald Trump became President.
Ann Althouse said...The disease you're calling "cat scratch fever" is "cat scratch disease," the term I used in the post. I linked to the Wikipedia article about it.
But which is the more reliable source? Wikipedia? Or Ted Nugent?
Just another reason why people shouldn’t have cats as pets (as if the world needed another reason; toxoplasmosis and filthy paws on the kitchen counter are reason enough for me).
Somewhere in Texas, Ted Nugent smiles.
cats are the world's #1 pet.
Dogs are 2nd.
I think. Odd this doesn't happen more often.
"got it from the pussy next door"
Yep. Uncle Ted strikes again.
We've all endured devastating setbacks after getting too close to the pussy.
Few of us learn our lesson.
antibiotics. the miracle we all take for granted.
I wonder how many witch burnings started because somebody got scratched by a cat.
"antibiotics. the miracle we all take for granted."
I read that China produces almost all the antibiotics we use. If true, that sucks. Joe will fix it.
We have cats and do get scratched and occasionally a nip. My wife once had a bad bite and we went to the Emergency Room ( it is nighttime) because the bite was really swelling. The Doc said when you get a bite or scratch wash it out with Dawn dishsoap. We do that now and the bites/scratches don't turn red or swell.
Not a disease to be trifled with.
The first time that I got it I was just ten years old. I got it from some kitty next door. I went to see the doctor, and he gave me the cure. I think I got it some more.
The more commonly accepted connection between cats and schizophrenia is Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite carried by cats.
It's very common.
There is real evidence of a connection.
What do you make of this statement from the abstract?
"Based on serology, Bartonella spp. exposure was common among people with SCZ/SAD (12 of 17) as well as among healthy volunteers (12 of 13), with no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.196)."
"Cat scratch fever" has been known for a long time. What's new is the connection to schizophrenia. But is this really likely to be the one and only cause?
This won't explain crazy cat ladies, who usually aren't hearing voices in their heads, but it does suggest a lot about why Garfield always seemed to be maliciously laughing at Jon.
Suppose a researcher discovered cats carry bacteria that cause a human disease which frequently manifests as body dysphoria such as anorexia and gender dysphoria and suppose the disease could be easily cured with available antibiotics.
Would the research be published? Would it be accepted?
[cat ladies] usually aren't hearing voices in their heads
How do you know?
Well, I ain't superstitious, black cat just cross my trail
Damn cats scratch me, I puts ‘em in a stranglehold...
Benny Hill advice on cat sanitation... "cut out the middle man". Referencing the "one eyed cat". Ewwwwww.
Former Trump chief of staff calls ex-President's Capitol riot claims 'manifestly false'
https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/27/politics/mick-mulvaney-trump-january-6-riot/index.html
Arturo... Don't go away mad, just go away. You add ZERO here.
How’s that UTI treating you, Arthur?
Iman said...
How’s that UTI treating you, Arthur?
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You sound like an expert on the subject, do go on...
My late mother was susceptible to them late in life. The symptoms - wild delusions, nonsensical utterances - were remarkably similar to what you exhibit here, Arthur.
Seek help, get well.
Before I even hit the comments, knowing several of you would have beat me to it, Ted Nugent instantly cued up in my head.
Thanks, Althouse.
tim maguire,
Just another reason why people shouldn’t have cats as pets (as if the world needed another reason; toxoplasmosis and filthy paws on the kitchen counter are reason enough for me).
"Filthy paws"? Cats' paws are probably a hell of a lot cleaner than your own feet. Of course your own feet will not be on the kitchen counter, but that's probably because you, unlike a cat, can't leap to a surface several body lengths above your head :-)
Cats make great pets, IMO. They are naturally clean (see above), undemanding (except around feeding time, where they're insufferable), don't need long walks, and basically demand nothing beyond a warm lap and an ear-scritch. (And FOOD, and litterboxes, and lately the odd barf clean-up. Don't harsh my mellow here.)
Not a "crazy cat lady" here, though I won't be insulted if you call me one. My husband loves our two cats just as much as I do.
I'm allergic to felines. When we'd visit the Big Cat House(!) at the Zoo, I could barely breathe, my eyes itched and swelled, the snot flowed . . .
Some friends' homes are still off-limits to me, and I can tell when a cat-owner visits.
Narr
Masks don't work
@ Bagoh
"I read that China produces almost all the antibiotics we use."
that is depressing. Joe will make sure they are spiked with vote fraud.
Citing CNN as a source is like citing George Costanza.
My late mother was susceptible to them late in life. The symptoms - wild delusions, nonsensical utterances - were remarkably similar to what you exhibit here, Arthur.
***************
It sounds more like the symptoms of schizophrenia there buddy. I'm sorry your mom had a rough go of it.
I saw this rerun last night...it was hilarious.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_Boobage
alanc709 said...
Citing CNN as a source is like citing George Costanza.
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Imagine being dumb enough to make this statement when CNN is literally just quoting Mulvaney verbatim. "Oh, but the source!"
Arturo will be devastated to learn that Trump is negotiating to buy CNN if the price gets low enough.
. We do that now and the bites/scratches don't turn red or swell.
I can think of another strategy that might be just as effective.
Michael K said...
Arturo will be devastated to learn that Trump is negotiating to buy CNN if the price gets low enough.
3/28/21, 12:01 PM
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That's the funniest thing I've read all day. What's Donald gonna buy it with?
Does he have a coupon?
"That's the funniest thing I've read all day. What's Donald gonna buy it with?"
How dumb are you? Silly question I know.
It's called investors. Or maybe even loans.
That means he is playing with other peoples' money.
As usual, Arturo is clueless.
Oops, GOP official behaved with professional integrity, GOP gotta end his career. GOP leadership is nothing but a pack of mobsters and traitors at this point.
https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/28/georgia-secretary-of-state-gop-478251
Delete
Joe Smith said...
"That's the funniest thing I've read all day. What's Donald gonna buy it with?"
How dumb are you? Silly question I know.
It's called investors. Or maybe even loans.
That means he is playing with other peoples' money.
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All of Donald's investors have abandoned him, Deutsche Bank being the latest. Is it you? Are you the one loaning him the money?
Michael K said...
As usual, Arturo is clueless.
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Imagine being clueless enough to believe for 2 seconds that Donald Trump would ever be able to buy CNN.
"All of Donald's investors have abandoned him, Deutsche Bank being the latest. Is it you? Are you the one loaning him the money?"
If he doesn't have the money, he won't buy it. You are an idiot.
There's an old saying that even you might understand: "If you owe the bank thousands, then you have a problem. If you owe the bank millions, then the bank has a problem."
Joe Smith said...
If he doesn't have the money, he won't buy it. You are an idiot.
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Hey dipshit: I AM NOT THE IDIOT SUGGESTING THAT DONALD TRUMP IS GOING TO BUY CNN. Drag your head out of Donald's asshole for long enough to wipe the shit from your eyes and read the actual words appearing on the page. Michael K is the one suggesting that, because Michael K is suffering from a self-induced lobotomy. Got it now, sweetie?
Banning Dr. Seuss was the right call after all.
See? Never question the elders.
because Michael K is suffering from a self-induced lobotomy. Got it now, sweetie?
Arthur, you are losing it even for a troll. Try to untwist your knickers before it harms your surgery down there.
Blogger LYNNDH said...
“We have cats and do get scratched and occasionally a nip. My wife once had a bad bite and we went to the Emergency Room ( it is nighttime) because the bite was really swelling. The Doc said when you get a bite or scratch wash it out with Dawn dishsoap. We do that now and the bites/scratches don't turn red or swell.”
Cat has been declawed, since he is strictly an indoor cat (ignoring the couple times a year he makes a break for freedom). But he does nip, and sometimes breaks skin with his teeth - at least with my partner (he mostly knows better with me). And she has gotten infected in the past, but not recently. She is religious about using Neosporin plus hydrogen peroxide and/or denatured alcohol on the wounds, so hasn’t been an issue for the last year or so. Still, I get him at night, because he nips at her toes when they stick out from under the covers, which they inevitably do during the night. If he nips me in the middle of the night, gets gets whacked. Not hard, but enough that he notices. It’s called operant conditioning - it worked on mice and pigeons in psychology lab in college, as well as little kids when we had them. It even, on rare occasions works on life partners - though I usually see what she is doing, and #Resist.
Mostly, I call him Buddy, and she calls him her Baby Boy (currently, we have no grandchildren under 10). But recently, I have been calling him Bratty Cat. Has almost a ring to it. Like many cats, he has discovered the joy of knocking things off of counters, etc, and then sometimes hiding them. One nice thing about having had him declawed is that he cannot quickly unroll rolls of toilet paper. Not that he doesn’t try - teeth and clawless paws just don’t work nearly as well.
Still, we wouldn’t trade him for anything. Still wonder why we waited so long.
the blog has a theme today...
“All of Donald's investors have abandoned him, Deutsche Bank being the latest. Is it you? Are you the one loaning him the money?”
75 or so million votes. Many of those casting those votes believe that the election was stolen from him. $10 a piece is $750 million. How many of the Trump voters here would contribute that much? How about $100? I’m still in at that level. At $1,000, I may start balking. But to see Fredo Cuomo fired? Yes, I might even go as high as $1,000.
The thing is, is that CNN is circling the drain. It has been a money pit for some time now. No company with a real bottom line can probably turn it around, because what it needs is a top down house cleaning, and corporate owners have been unwilling to do what needs to be done. Too scared about what their on air people, as well as the rest of the left, would have to say about it. It does have some value in its licenses and contracts, as well as some good will. But that is inevitably wiped out by its rabidly left wing on air personalities, as well as their support staffs. What they need to be profitable is a thorough house cleaning, and very possibly a significant change in political orientation. With the two Jurdoch boys taking Fox to the left, there is opening up a huge opportunity for conservative news and commentary. Personally, I think investing in Trump to do create that is better odds than you get at the casinos.
Bruce Hayden said...
“All of Donald's investors have abandoned him, Deutsche Bank being the latest. Is it you? Are you the one loaning him the money?”
75 or so million votes. Many of those casting those votes believe that the election was stolen from him. $10 a piece is $750 million. How many of the Trump voters here would contribute that much? How about $100? I’m still in at that level. At $1,000, I may start balking. But to see Fredo Cuomo fired? Yes, I might even go as high as $1,000.
3/28/21, 1:47 PM
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Whatever geta you through the night.
mizzrow writes: Only those who have had feline lymphoma...
A cat gave you cat cancer??
Arturo is the dumbest of the lefties here.
He is a double-digit left side IQ guy.
Don't know why I even bother with him, it's like arguing with my dog except my dog has the advantage of being lovable.
"Imagine being clueless enough to believe for 2 seconds that Donald Trump would ever be able to buy CNN."
Why, what's it worth?
Well it is obvious that the cat is actually a DJT supporter, and that the real reason for the young persons situation is systemic racism and white supremacy.
We have had cats most of our married life - 42 years and counting. My wife has been bit once bad enough to require going to the doc due to the infection on her hand. Pro tip - never grab a cat that is fighting with another cat, even if the cat you grab is yours. A bucket of water or a hose works wonders and keeps you from getting bit/scratched.
The current cats sharing our house do not bite or scratch. Though one will hiss at you if you bother her and she does not want to be bothered (petted, picked up, etc.) The boy cat does get yelly/shouty on occasion, so I just yell back - the wife ignores him. I find yelling back simpler, plus I can yell louder than he can.
As to CNN. Buy it for a buck, fire everybody that does on air and Max Headroom the lot of them. You could actually have the new on air AI folks report the actual news - what a concept.
With the two Jurdoch boys taking Fox to the left, there is opening up a huge opportunity for conservative news and commentary. Personally, I think investing in Trump to do create that is better odds than you get at the casinos.
I have seen only speculation but this does seem a reasonable opportunity as the value since Time Warner bought it has tanked. Trump gave them left wing viewers like Arthur but their contracts are expiring and viewership is way down. There has been discussion about Trump and a new platform. Fox has pulled back a bit from the Murdoch lurch left but is still vulnerable. Tucker Carlson is the biggest name on the right now that Limbaugh is gone. Could be interesting.
OT but Important at our house:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/the-world-is-facing-a-coffee-deficit-in-supply-chain-nightmare/ar-BB1eTawx
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/world-faces-coffee-deficit-amid-container-shortage
"World faces coffee deficit amid container shortage"
Crikey.
Container shortage? Maybe we can convert homes into shipping containers.
The pussy without a hat or boots was smoking catnip, then transmitted the hallucinogenic chemical intravenously through a scratch. Meow... I mean, purrrfect.
That talented eunuch Tater Stelter should be able to write his own ticket, amirite?
Good heavens! One of the family pets was a "giant African millipede"!
From the journal article cited by Fernandinande at 08:47
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1179573519832014
Yep, Ted Nugent was the first thought to arrive for me too.
Count me as Anti-Domestic Animal, aka: pets. Unfortunately, mrs. stevew is fond of cats. Two months into the new place and no cat, yet. I fully expect to return from an errand or coffee run to find a little ball of fur scurrying about. Please lord, let there only be one. A Maine Coon might be interesting. In any case, I will be lobbying hard for this new addition to be a cat that likes to be outside. Not sure I'll win that argument.
ttps://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1179573519832014
What a horror story -
"Based on insurance claims and bills paid by the parents, the cost of the various medical interventions prior to documentation of B henselae bloodstream infection exceeded $400,000." For a series of mistakes.
I liked this part, below, because so many people have been making a big deal about schools being closed due to covid, and the terrible effects that is supposed to have on children, but I think, for anyone who is worth educating at least, that missing a year - or two - of public school is pretty trivial and inconsequential because they can catch up so quickly:
"After missing nearly 2 years of school, the boy resumed pre-illness level of academic functioning by attaining A’s in all fall semester 2017 and spring semester 2018 classes."
Toxo Gon' is thought to be spread through cat feces.
Cat Crap Fever
A recent Scott Adams podcast showed his cat walking around in front of the camera on the kitchen table and then in background on kitchen counter.
Keep an eye on him.
Walter may be on to something. I grew up with multiple cats during my childhood, got scratched and bitten many times (mauled would be more accurate) and never had an issue. But, those cats were outdoors much of the time, except in the depths of winter or at feeding time. Maybe the cat poo is the issue.
Prof's put a lid on it?
Small to medium dogs are best for our lifestyle. Our greying dackel is just right--10kg or 1.5 stone.
Spent a few hours pruning and trimming the dead and undesirable stuff from the back yard and hauling it out front, and I suspect even that bit of effort will find me sore tomorrow.
Narr
No scratches
I had it in college, but my only symptom was a lymph node lump above my elbow. They thought it might be TB or syphilis (is it true about toilet seats?), but the biopsy was negative. Got a nice scar.
[Study] author Edward Breitschwerdt, who has been studying the bacteria for years, told Gizmodo. “There is a lot of work that needs to be accomplished to clarify these preliminary results.”
Maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves.
All too often non-scientists read peer-reviewed scientific journals and go ape-shit over "studies". Be prepared for a surge of maniacal nitwits who'll blame their misdeeds on Puss-Puss rather than white supremacy.
Almost lost my wife to a necrotic lymph node caused by misdiagnosed cat-scratch fever. GP said it was an impacted or clogged sweat gland. A month of vague illness and increasing pain later, an ER doctor took one look at her labs and asked if we had a new kitten or puppy. He told us he saw several cases a month, much more in the Spring. He also said it was about 40/60 cat scratch to dog scratch. Usually young animals, the bacteria goes away as the animal matures.
Thankfully, no psychosis.
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