Rat-bite fever in children: case report and review.
We report 2 cases of rat-bite fever (RBF), a multisystem zoonosis, in children and review the literature. RBF is caused by I of 2 Gram-negative organisms: Streptobacillus moniliformis or, less commonly, Spirillum minus. Both of our cases developed in school-aged girls with a history of rat exposure who presented with a multisystem illness consisting of fever, petechial and purpuric rash, arthralgia and polyarthritis. Both responded promptly to antibiotic treatment. An additional 10 cases from a MEDLINE review (1960-2000) are reviewed. RBF must be included in the differential diagnosis of febrile patients with rashes and a history of exposure to rats.
Ojukwu
Ifeoma C
IC
Strong Children's Research Center, University of Rochester School of Medicine & Dentistry, New York, USA.
Christy
Cynthia
C
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011906:Rat-Bite Fever / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051381:Rats; D013288:Streptobacillus / Q000302:isolation & purification*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents