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Rat-bite fever

MedGen UID:
11123
•Concept ID:
C0034686
•
Disease or Syndrome
Synonyms: Fever, Haverhill; Fever, Rat-Bite; Fever, Ratbite; Fevers, Rat-Bite; Fevers, Ratbite; Haverhill Fever; Infection, Spirillum minus; Infection, Streptobacillus moniliformis; Infections, Spirillum minus; Infections, Streptobacillus moniliformis; Rat Bite Fever; Rat-Bite Fever; Rat-Bite Fevers; Ratbite Fever; Ratbite Fevers; Spirillum minus Infection; Spirillum minus Infections; Streptobacillus moniliformis Infection; Streptobacillus moniliformis Infections
SNOMED CT: Rat-bite fever (1685005); Rat bite fever (1685005)
 
Monarch Initiative: MONDO:0006941
Orphanet: ORPHA31205

Definition

Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a systemic bacterial zoonosis occurring in individuals that have been bitten or scratched by <i>Streptobacillus moniliformis</i> or <i>Spirillum minus</i>-infected rats and characterized by high fever, a rash on the extremities, and arthralgia. [from ORDO]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVRat-bite fever
Follow this link to review classifications for Rat-bite fever in Orphanet.

Professional guidelines

PubMed

Rat Bite Fever: Variability in Clinical Presentation and Management in Children.
Hadvani T, Vallejo JG, Dutta A
Pediatr Infect Dis J 2021 Nov 1;40(11):e439-e442. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003222. PMID: 34260491

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

What a Rat Race: A Case Study of Rat Bite Fever in an Emergency Department.
Bedner K, Crago E
J Emerg Nurs 2022 Sep;48(5):583-585. Epub 2022 Aug 11 doi: 10.1016/j.jen.2022.07.001. PMID: 35963786
Rat Bite Fever: Variability in Clinical Presentation and Management in Children.
Hadvani T, Vallejo JG, Dutta A
Pediatr Infect Dis J 2021 Nov 1;40(11):e439-e442. doi: 10.1097/INF.0000000000003222. PMID: 34260491
Approved and novel strategies in diagnostics of rat bite fever and other Streptobacillus infections in humans and animals.
Eisenberg T, Ewers C, Rau J, Akimkin V, Nicklas W
Virulence 2016 Aug 17;7(6):630-48. Epub 2016 Apr 18 doi: 10.1080/21505594.2016.1177694. PMID: 27088660Free PMC Article
Diseases Transmitted by Less Common House Pets.
Chomel BB
Microbiol Spectr 2015 Dec;3(6) doi: 10.1128/microbiolspec.IOL5-0012-2015. PMID: 27337276
Rat bite fever and Streptobacillus moniliformis.
Elliott SP
Clin Microbiol Rev 2007 Jan;20(1):13-22. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00016-06. PMID: 17223620Free PMC Article

Diagnosis

Rat-bite fever.
McKee G, Pewarchuk J
CMAJ 2013 Oct 15;185(15):1346. Epub 2013 Mar 25 doi: 10.1503/cmaj.121704. PMID: 23529964Free PMC Article
North American zoonoses.
Lieberman JM
Pediatr Ann 2009 Apr;38(4):193-8. doi: 10.3928/00904481-20090401-09. PMID: 19455948
Rat bite fever.
Gaastra W, Boot R, Ho HT, Lipman LJ
Vet Microbiol 2009 Jan 13;133(3):211-28. Epub 2008 Oct 8 doi: 10.1016/j.vetmic.2008.09.079. PMID: 19008054
Rat bite fever and Streptobacillus moniliformis.
Elliott SP
Clin Microbiol Rev 2007 Jan;20(1):13-22. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00016-06. PMID: 17223620Free PMC Article
Rat-bite fever.
van Nood E, Peters SH
Neth J Med 2005 Sep;63(8):319-21. PMID: 16186643

Therapy

Rat Bite Fever: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.
Walker JW, Reyes LB
Pediatr Emerg Care 2019 Feb;35(2):e28-e29. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000956. PMID: 28002119
North American zoonoses.
Lieberman JM
Pediatr Ann 2009 Apr;38(4):193-8. doi: 10.3928/00904481-20090401-09. PMID: 19455948
Spirochetal infections.
Taber LH, Feigin RD
Pediatr Clin North Am 1979 May;26(2):377-413. doi: 10.1016/s0031-3955(16)33713-0. PMID: 379781
Rat-bite fever.
Gilbert GL, Cassidy JF, Bennett NM
Med J Aust 1971 Nov 27;2(22):1131-4. doi: 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1971.tb92745.x. PMID: 5167177
Rat-bite fever.
Blattner RJ
J Pediatr 1965 Nov;67(5):884-6. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(65)80384-5. PMID: 5845455

Prognosis

Rat bite fever: a case report review.
Coessens M, De Laere E
Acta Clin Belg 2022 Oct;77(5):883-888. Epub 2021 Oct 21 doi: 10.1080/17843286.2021.1992940. PMID: 34672901
Rat bite fever due to Streptobacillus notomytis complicated by meningitis and spondylodiscitis: a case report.
Pongsuttiyakorn S, Kamolvit W, Limsrivanichakorn S, Phothisirisakulwong A, Wangchinda W
BMC Infect Dis 2021 Sep 28;21(1):1017. doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06715-2. PMID: 34583654Free PMC Article
Rat bite fever with osteomyelitis and discitis: case report and literature review.
Adams SH, Mahapatra R
BMC Infect Dis 2021 May 26;21(1):479. doi: 10.1186/s12879-021-06172-x. PMID: 34039283Free PMC Article
A Case Study of Rat Bite Fever Caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis.
Hayakawa Y, Suzuki J, Suzuki M, Sugiura W, Ohkusu K
Jpn J Infect Dis 2017 May 24;70(3):323-325. Epub 2016 Dec 22 doi: 10.7883/yoken.JJID.2016.270. PMID: 28003596
Rat bite fever without fever.
Stehle P, Dubuis O, So A, Dudler J
Ann Rheum Dis 2003 Sep;62(9):894-6. doi: 10.1136/ard.62.9.894. PMID: 12922966Free PMC Article

Clinical prediction guides

A woman in her twenties with headache, fever and a rash.
Lund KMA, Steinbakk M
Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2020 Sep 29;140(13) Epub 2020 Sep 22 doi: 10.4045/tidsskr.19.0673. PMID: 32998485
A Case of Streptobacillus moniliformis Infection with Cutaneous Leukocytoclastic Vasculitis.
Kawakami Y, Katayama T, Kishida M, Oda W, Inoue Y
Acta Med Okayama 2016 Oct;70(5):377-381. doi: 10.18926/AMO/54596. PMID: 27777430
Comparison of media with and without 'Panmede' for the isolation of Streptobacillus moniliformis from blood cultures and observations on the inhibitory effect of sodium polyanethol sulphonate.
Shanson DC, Pratt J, Greene P
J Med Microbiol 1985 Apr;19(2):181-6. doi: 10.1099/00222615-19-2-181. PMID: 2984425
Haverhill fever (erythema arthriticum epidemicum) report of a case with necropsy observations.
MORSE RA, GREENE JA
Tex State J Med 1949 Nov;45(11):768-71. PMID: 15393276

Recent systematic reviews

Rat bite fever: a case report review.
Coessens M, De Laere E
Acta Clin Belg 2022 Oct;77(5):883-888. Epub 2021 Oct 21 doi: 10.1080/17843286.2021.1992940. PMID: 34672901

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