Rat-Bite Fever

Rat-Bite Fever - General Information

Rat-Bite Fever is an infectious disorder which usually appears after a person gets in touch with an infected animal; it is, therefore, the result of a bite or a scratch of an infected animal. This disease is more common in the case of those who work a lot with animals, such as laboratory workers who frequently handle lab rats, and in the case of extremely poor people who live in dangerous conditions, usually characterized by rodent infestations. In what concerns the second situation, those who are most likely to get infected are young children. In addition these conditions, another important thing which should be known is the fact that the bacteria which leas to the appearance and development of Rat-Bite Fever is not carried and transmitted only by rats, but also by squirrels, mice, dogs, weasels and cats. On the other hand, the bacteria which cause this disease can also be ingested when a person eats infested products, such as unpasteurized milk.

There are two main types of Rat-Bite Fever which a person can experience; these forms are caused by two different agents. Firstly, there is the Streptobacillus moniliformis which causes the streptobacillary form of the disease and, secondly, there is the Spirillum minus which causes the spirillary form of the disease. The first type is usually more common in the USA, whereas the second one usually affects areas such as Africa and Asia. However, the good part is the fact that the reports show that, nowadays, the frequency rate for this disease is getting smaller and smaller. 

Rat-Bite Fever – Symptoms

The signs and symptoms which characterize this disease are quite different, considering the two types of the disorder which can appear. In what concerns the streptobacillary form of the Rat-Bite Fever, this is characterized by the fact that the first signs and symptoms appear after about 20 days after the initial scratch or bite. The patients usually experience fever, nausea, chills, vomiting, extreme pain in the joints and in the back and severe headaches. In most of the cases, pink and tiny bumps will develop, covering the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands. If the sufferer does not receive medical care in due time, he may experience serious complications, such as endocarditis (an infection of the coverage of the heart), pericarditis (an infection of the sac which carries the heart), meningitis (an infection of the tissues which cover the spinal cord and the brain) or pneumonia (an infection of the lungs). In addition, abscesses, which consist of a number of infections, can affect any organ in the body.

In what concerns the spirillary form of Rat-Bite Fever, this is characterized by the fact that is needs a longer period of time to deveop, usually about 30 days after the initial scratch or bite. In this case, the disease is recurrent, which means that, even if it seems to have healed, it can reappear at any time. The first sign of this disorder is the extreme fever which the sufferer experience. In addition, the lymph nodes in the affected area start to swollen and the patient suffers from headaches and chills.

Rat-Bite Fever – Treatment

If you notice the appearance of one or more of the signs and symptoms presented above, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible in order to obtain a sure diagnosis and then to benefit from the best way of treatment. In the case of the streptobacillary form of Rat-Bite Fever, the diagnosis is made by collecting a sample of the fluid or the blood from one of the joints which form. The sample is then kept in the laboratory in order to allow the growth of possible bacteria; the sample is then analyzed using a microscope in order to identify the presence of bacteria. In the case of the spirillary form of the Rat-Bite Fever, the diagnosis is made by examining a sample of the patient’s blood or a sample of tissue collected from one of the wounds which appear.

The common way of treatment, which proved effective against both of the forms of Rat-Bite Fever which a person may experience is the administration of medicines. The most common drugs which are used are penicillin V or procaine penicillin G. They are usually taken orally. If the patient is allergic to these drugs, the doctors will probably choose to administrate him tetracycline in the case of a spirilarry infection and erythromycin in the case of a streptobacillary infection. If the disease is diagnosed in due time and the patient receives effective medical care, the Rat-Bite Fever can be treated completely. However, if the sufferer receives no medical care at all, the disease can also cure on its own, but this may take several months or even years. On the other hand, in the case of young children and those with a weak immune system who get infected with this type of bacteria, the disease can evolve quickly and lead to the appearance of more serious complications which, left untreated, can even result in death. This is not just an assumption of the doctors, but a confirmed result as the reports show that, before the antibiotics were used for this type of infection, most of the sufferers died.
Even though nowadays the treatment for Rat-Bite Fever is available anywhere in the world, it is simpler to prevent this disease than to treat it. There are some simple measures which should be taken into consideration by everybody. First of all, we must avoid the contact with those animals which are known for carrying the bacteria which lead to the appearance of this disease. In what concerns the pets, the owners should pay a lot of attention to all the vaccines which are available against the bacteria which cause this disease. In what concerns those people who live in rodent infested areas and who are too poor to move out, the local authorities should be responsible for cleaning the area and eliminating the causative organisms. If we take into consideration the fact that this disease can also appear as the result of ingestion of contaminated water or milk, people are advised to drink water only from a safe source and only pasteurized milk.