Which is the common feature of spirillary rat bite fever?
Rat-bite fever:*Characterized by relapsing fever type of illness, rash, ahralgia, occurring days or weeks after the rat bite*Two bacteria responsible for this illness- Streptobacillus moniliformis and Spirillum minus, both are natural parasites of rodents*Streptobacillus moniliformis:OHighly pleomorphic, gram-negative, non-motileOL forms seen, catalase, oxidase, urease, nitrate negativeOIt ferments glucoseOFever, rash, and ahralgia develops 2- 10 days after exposureOThis condition first observed in Haverhill, USA- Haverhill fever or erythema ahriticum epidemicumOIt is believed to be caused by consumption of raw milk or water contaminated by rats*Spirillum minus:OSho, gram-negative, actively motile with amphitrichous flagellaOEventhough gram negative better visualized by Fontana or Giemsa stain or by dark field microscopyOJapanese workers identified it as one of the causes of RBF, called SodokuOIncubation period: 1- 4 daysOFever with regional lymphadenopathy and other symptoms similar to Haverhill fever*Treatment: Penicillin, tetracycline, and doxycycline is an effective prophylactic agentRef: Ananthanarayan 9th edition, 398
Lymphadenopathy
Endocarditis
Hepatosplenomegaly
Amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia
Bacteriology