title: The rise of the rats: A growing paediatric issue.
abstract: Rat bite fever (RBF), a systemic infection of Streptobacillus moniliformis or Spirillum minus characterized by fever, arthralgias and petechial-purpuric rash on the extremities, carries a mortality rate of 7% to 10% if untreated. In Canada, one adult and two paediatric cases of RBF have been reported since 2000. In recent years, pet rats have become quite popular among children, placing them at an increased risk for RBF. Thus, paediatricians need to be more wary of the potential for RBF in their patients. In the present report, a culture-confirmed case of RBF and two additional cases of suspected infection are described.
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Paediatrics, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec.
authors.forename: Karine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khatchadourian
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ovetchkine
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Minodier
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lamarre
authors.forename: Marc H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lebel
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tapiéro