Rat bite fever

Classification according to ICD-10
A25.0	Spirilla rat bite disease sodoku
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

The rat-bite fever (synonyms: Japanese Sodoku ; spirilla rats bite fever , shortly rat bite fever ) is a rarely occurring worldwide, in Japan especially common acute infectious disease of humans. The pathogens formerly known as Spirillum (morsus) muris ( Spirillum minus and Streptobacillus moniliformes ) are transmitted through bites from rats, mice, squirrels and rodent-eating domestic animals. It is therefore a zoonosis . After an incubation period of one to 22 days, sometimes even after two months, a deep, dark red rash usually develops on the wound. Fever attacks of 4 to 5 days alternate with fever-free intervals (this is referred to as a recurrent fever ). Lymphangitis and swelling of the lymph nodes , liver and spleen can be side effects. Rat bite fever usually heals on its own after a few weeks to months, but according to some authors, if left untreated, it leads to death in 5–10% of cases.

In 2005, a combination of the antibiotics penicillin G with an aminoglycoside was recommended as an initially intravenous and after improvement oral antimicrobial therapy . Also doxycycline , amoxicillin , and (that too - in addition to a tetanus prophylaxis - prophylaxis recommended by bite) penicillin V come under Abele-Horn into consideration.

Literature (sources)

Herbert Hof, Rüdiger Dörries: Medical microbiology. 3. Edition. Thieme-Verlag, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-13-125313-4 , p. 440.
Fritz H. Kayser among others: Medical microbiology. 11th edition. Thieme-Verlag, Stuttgart 2005, ISBN 3-13-444811-4 , p. 317, p. 320 f.
Karl Wurm, AM Walter: Infectious Diseases. In: Ludwig Heilmeyer (ed.): Textbook of internal medicine. Springer-Verlag, Berlin / Göttingen / Heidelberg 1955; 2nd edition, ibid. 1961, pp. 9-223, here: p. 154 ( Sodoku = rat bite disease ).

Individual evidence

^ Marianne Abele-Horn: Antimicrobial Therapy. Decision support for the treatment and prophylaxis of infectious diseases. With the collaboration of Werner Heinz, Hartwig Klinker, Johann Schurz and August Stich, 2nd, revised and expanded edition. Peter Wiehl, Marburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-927219-14-4 , p. 160.

[1] Marianne Abele-Horn: Antimicrobial Therapy. Decision support for the treatment and prophylaxis of infectious diseases. With the collaboration of Werner Heinz, Hartwig Klinker, Johann Schurz and August Stich, 2nd, revised and expanded edition. Peter Wiehl, Marburg 2009, ISBN 978-3-927219-14-4 , p. 160.