Broad range polymerase chain reaction for diagnosis of rat-bite fever caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis.
An 11-year-old boy presented with fever, vomiting, rash, limping and blisters on his feet after a finger bite by his domestic rat. Although cultures from blood, cerebrospinal fluid and urine remained negative, broad range polymerase chain reaction amplification of a part of the 16S rRNA gene followed by sequencing allowed the detection and identification of Streptobacillus moniliformis in blister fluid, thus confirming the suspected clinical diagnosis of rat-bite fever.
Berger
C
C
Division of Infectious Diseases, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland.
Altwegg
M
M
Meyer
A
A
Nadal
D
D
D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods*; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000235:genetics*; D011906:Rat-Bite Fever / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D051381:Rats; D013288:Streptobacillus / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S