Rat-bite fever

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Streptobacillary fever; Streptobacillosis; Haverhill fever; Epidemic arthritic erythema; Spirillary fever; Sodoku

Rat-bite fever is usually treated with antibiotic therapy. Your health care provider may prescribe penicillin or tetracyclines for 7-10 days.

The prognosis is excellent with early treatment.

• Pericarditis
• Endocarditis
• Parotitis (inflammation of the parotid glands)
• Inflammation of the tendons (tenosynovitis)
• Abscesses of the brain or soft tissue

Call your health care provider if you or your child has had recent contact with a rat or other rodents, particularly if the person was bitten or has symptoms of rat-bite fever.

Review Date: 11/27/2006
Reviewed By: D. Scott Smith, M.D., MSc, DTM&H, Chief of Infectious Disease & Geographic Medicine, Kaiser Redwood City, CA & Adjunct Assistant Professor, Stanford University. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.