Cat-scratch disease is a frequent but innocuous cause of chronic lymphadenopathy in children. Numerous atypical forms have been described. We report three cases of acute sight impairment revealing a cat-scratch disease.
Background: A 13 year-old boy and two girls aged 10 and 13 suffered from a sudden bilateral sight impairment with papillary edema, with fever in two cases. Neurological examinations, X-rays and lumbar puncture results were found normal. However, all patients were tested positive to Bartonella Henselae. Antibiotic and anti-inflammatory treatments were efficient in two cases.
Conclusion: Cat-scratch disease can be characterized by an isolated and acute sight impairment with a stellate neuroretinitis. The potency of antibiotic treatments is debatable.