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Rat-bite fever - Overview

Alternative Names

Streptobacillary fever; Streptobacillosis; Haverhill fever; Epidemic arthritic erythema; Spirillary fever; Sodoku

Definition of Rat-bite fever:

Rat-bite fever is a rare disease spread by infected rodents.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Rat-bite fever can be caused by the bacteria, Actinobacillus muris (formerly called Streptobacillus moniliformis) and Spirillum minus. Most cases of rat-bite fever occur in Japan, where it is called sodoku.

The disease has also been seen in:

Africa
Australia
Europe
North and South America

Most people get rat-bite fever through contact with urine or secretions from the mouth, eye, or nose of an infected animal. This most commonly occurs though a bite, yet some cases may occur simply through contact with these secretions.

The source of the infection is usually a rat. Other animals that may cause infection include squirrels, weasels, and gerbils.

Reviewed last on: 9/28/2008
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, PhD, MD, Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Washburn RG. Streptobacillus moniliformis (rat-bite fever). In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2005: chap 228.

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