title: Rat bite fever without the bite.
abstract: The case is reported of a patient who developed an acute arthropathy, which was initially diagnosed as acute septic arthritis. The true diagnosis of rat bite fever due to Streptobacillus moniliformis was delayed because of difficulty in growing the organism, which has fastidious growth requirements. The patient had no history of rat bite, which is the usual form of transmission of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, South Cleveland Hospital, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Fordham
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McKay-Ferguson
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davies
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blyth
mesh_terms: D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000382:microbiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011906:Rat-Bite Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology; D013288:Streptobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification