Neck Swelling and Late Cat Confession: When the Sequencing Outsmarts the Patient’s Tale

Abstract Cat scratch disease (CSD), caused by Bartonella henselae , presents a diagnostic challenge due to the lack of clinical suspicion and the limitations of traditional diagnostic methods. This case report highlights the experience of a 23-year-old female with a neck abscess and systemic symptoms, where conventional diagnostic methods, including cultures, failed to identify the pathogen. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was utilized and successfully detected B . henselae DNA, providing a definitive diagnosis. This case underscores the critical role of NGS in diagnosing infections when culture results are negative and emphasizes its potential to enhance diagnostic accuracy in clinical practice.