Who discovered cat scratch fever?

While the disease itself has been recognized for centuries, the specific bacteria responsible for cat scratch fever (Bartonella henselae) was discovered in 1991 by Dr. Edward Breitschwerdt and his colleagues at North Carolina State University.

It's important to note that:

* Cat scratch fever was known as "benign lymphoreticulosis" before the discovery of the causative bacteria. This name reflected the disease's characteristic symptoms of swollen lymph nodes.

* Dr. Breitschwerdt and his team were the first to isolate and identify B. henselae as the cause of this disease. This discovery revolutionized our understanding of the disease and paved the way for better diagnosis and treatment.