-
CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association... Oct 2013
Topics: Adult; Animals; Drug Eruptions; Female; Hand Dermatoses; Humans; Rat-Bite Fever; Rats; Streptobacillus
PubMed: 23529964
DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.121704 -
Clinical Microbiology Reviews Jan 2007Rat bite fever, caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis, is a systemic illness classically characterized by fever, rigors, and polyarthralgias. If left untreated, it... (Review)
Review
Rat bite fever, caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis, is a systemic illness classically characterized by fever, rigors, and polyarthralgias. If left untreated, it carries a mortality rate of 10%. Unfortunately, its nonspecific initial presentation combined with difficulties in culturing its causative organism produces a significant risk of delay or failure in diagnosis. The increasing popularity of rats and other rodents as pets, together with the risk of invasive or fatal disease, demands increased attention to rat bite fever as a potential diagnosis. The clinical and biological features of rat bite fever and Streptobacillus moniliformis are reviewed, providing some distinguishing features to assist the clinician and microbiologist in diagnosis.
Topics: Animals; Bites and Stings; Humans; Mice; Rat-Bite Fever; Rats; Streptobacillus
PubMed: 17223620
DOI: 10.1128/CMR.00016-06 -
The Netherlands Journal of Medicine Sep 2005A 23-year-old woman presented with fever, arthralgias and a skin rash. She possessed nine pet rats, and denied that she had been bitten. Blood culture was positive for...
A 23-year-old woman presented with fever, arthralgias and a skin rash. She possessed nine pet rats, and denied that she had been bitten. Blood culture was positive for Streptobacillus moniliformis, which can cause rat-bite fever. The patient fully recovered after treatment with clarithromycin.
Topics: Adult; Animals; Female; Fusobacteriaceae Infections; Humans; Rat-Bite Fever; Rats; Streptobacillus
PubMed: 16186643
DOI: No ID Found -
BMC Infectious Diseases May 2021Rat bite fever (RBF) is a rare systemic febrile illness transmitted by rats. Streptobacillus moniliformis is a pleomorphic Gram-negative bacillus which is the usual... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Rat bite fever (RBF) is a rare systemic febrile illness transmitted by rats. Streptobacillus moniliformis is a pleomorphic Gram-negative bacillus which is the usual etiologic organism for rat bite fever in the United States.
CASE PRESENTATION
Here we present a case of rat bite fever complicated by vertebral osteomyelitis and discitis. The patient revealed an exposure history of being bitten by pet rats. The patient's symptoms dramatically improved with a six-week course of cephalexin therapy.
CONCLUSIONS
It is important to obtain a thorough zoonotic exposure history and maintain rat bite fever in the differential when considering potential causes of discitis and osteomyelitis.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Domestic; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Bites and Stings; Cephalexin; Discitis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Osteomyelitis; Rat-Bite Fever; Rats; Streptobacillus; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 34039283
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06172-x -
Cureus Jul 2023Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a rare systemic infectious disease caused by , , or . As the name implies, the disease is typically transmitted by a rat bite. RBF usually...
Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a rare systemic infectious disease caused by , , or . As the name implies, the disease is typically transmitted by a rat bite. RBF usually presents as a combination of fever, arthritis, and rash. Definitive diagnosis of RBF may prove difficult, as the responsible bacteria are not easily identified with standard testing. We describe a case of RBF in a 34-year-old female who presented with fever, chills, polyarthralgia, and skin rash following a rat bite. Initial vital signs were remarkable for fever and tachycardia. Physical examination revealed an erythematous vesicular and papular rash involving her extremities, buttocks, and oral mucosa. Blood cultures were negative. A skin biopsy revealed leukocytoclastic vasculitis and was negative for Gram stain. Further analysis using specialized immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) identified . A diagnosis of RBF was made, and the patient was successfully treated with a two-week course of doxycycline.
PubMed: 37637554
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.42453 -
The Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine Jun 2021Rat-bite fever is an over-looked, global zoonotic disease that has a mortality rate of up to 13%, if untreated. Historically, this rat-borne disease has been attributed...
Rat-bite fever is an over-looked, global zoonotic disease that has a mortality rate of up to 13%, if untreated. Historically, this rat-borne disease has been attributed to one of two causative agents, or . Given the confirmed presence of multiple invasive host species, high rat densities in urban, informal human settlements and increasing reports of rat bites in South Africa, we undertook a retrospective assessment of in rats sampled from 16 urban sites, in Gauteng, the smallest but most populous Province in South Africa. Using a multi-gene PCR-sequencing approach, we confirmed presence in 50.9% of oral swabs from three rat species and the presence of two species, and . The two members of the cryptic species complex ( and ), which are morphologically indistinguishable from each other, had markedly different colonization rates. Whereas 48.6% of rats from this species complex were -positive, only 32.3% of were positive compared to 61.5% had an intermediate prevalence of 55.6%. Phylogenetic analysis of four gene regions (16S rRNA, , , ) identified two discrete lineages; occurred exclusively in , and was restricted to the two members of the species complex; this represents the first report of in . These results highlight a largely overlooked zoonotic threat posed by invasive rats and confirm the presence of two discrete and potentially host-specific lineages in South Africa.
Topics: Animals; Introduced Species; Phylogeny; Prevalence; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Rat-Bite Fever; Rats; Retrospective Studies; South Africa; Streptobacillus
PubMed: 34211343
DOI: No ID Found -
Tidsskrift For Den Norske Laegeforening... Oct 2001Rat bite fever and Haverhill fever are caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis which is part of the natural oral flora of rats and other rodents. Fever accompanied by...
BACKGROUND
Rat bite fever and Haverhill fever are caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis which is part of the natural oral flora of rats and other rodents. Fever accompanied by headache, nausea and myalgia develops within ten days. Complications can be fatal.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
A case of rat bite fever is described. A 48-year-old woman developed fever and malaise five days after being bitten by a pet rat. Two days later rash and arthritis in the hand and feet developed. Erythromycin was administered without effect. Ten days after the bite the patient was admitted to hospital and recovered after two weeks of intravenous penicillin therapy.
RESULTS
S moniliformis was isolated from blood culture. On admission CRP was 231, ESR 88, ASAT 87, ALAT 218 and gamma-GT 461. Laboratory results normalized after therapy.
INTERPRETATION
In cases of fever after rodent bites, S moniliformis infection should always be considered. Diagnosis is made by blood culture or cultivation from pus from the bite wound. First choice therapy is penicillin, or in case of intolerance, tetracycline.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Domestic; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Rat-Bite Fever; Rats; Streptobacillus
PubMed: 11757440
DOI: No ID Found -
Open Forum Infectious Diseases Jun 2020Rat-bite fever is a rare disease associated with rat bites or direct/indirect rodent contact.
BACKGROUND
Rat-bite fever is a rare disease associated with rat bites or direct/indirect rodent contact.
METHODS
We examined rat-bite fever and rat-bite injury diagnoses in the United States during 2001-2015. We analyzed national, state, and Indian Health Service healthcare encounter datasets for rat-bite fever and rat-bite injury diagnoses. We calculated average-annual encounter rates per 1 000 000 persons.
RESULTS
Nationally, the rat-bite fever Emergency Department visit rate was 0.33 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.19-0.47) and the hospitalization rate was 0.20 (95% CI, 0.17-0.24). The rat-bite injury Emergency Department visit rate was 10.51 (95% CI, 10.13-10.88) and the hospitalization rate was 0.27 (95% CI, 0.23-0.30). The Indian Health Service Emergency Department/outpatient visit rate was 3.00 for rat-bite fever and 18.89 for rat-bite injury. The majority of rat-bite fever encounters were among individuals 0-19 years of age.
CONCLUSIONS
Our results support the literature that rat-bite fever is rare and affects children and young adults. Targeted education could benefit specific risk groups.
PubMed: 32617373
DOI: 10.1093/ofid/ofaa197