Can't Escape Bacteria

For some people, the whole world's a stage. For me, the stage is apparently just a world of medical disorders. Today, I was listening to the soundtrack of "Rent," in which Mimi sings about her S+M work at the "Cat Scratch Club." Then I realized: Was Jonathan Larson making a reference to Cat Scratch Fever? Cat Scratch Fever often manifests as Bacillary Epitheliod Angiomatosis, an infection featuring red papules, due to proliferation of small, round, blood vessels. It is caused by the Bartonella Henseli bacteria, which usually enters the body after the host is scratched by a feline. However, it is also a very common Clinical Category "B" symptom for HIV. Was Jonathan Larson making a medical allusion about his character, Mimi, the HIV-positive exotic dancer?