Rat Bite Fever; When Rodents Bite Humans.
Hello friends, it is another day to talk about animal/pet infections and how they could possibly affect humans (if there is a chance). For today, I will be writing on Rat-bite fever which is a zoonotic illness, with other names like; bigger, spirillary fever, and epidemic arthritic erythema. It is a rare disease transmitted from rodents to humans either through their urine or mucosal secretions.
You do not have to wait for a wild rat to bite before you begin to think of visiting the hospital, even a domestic rat bite has the tendency to transfer the virus. A rat bite has the appearance of a small puncture or small cut, rat bites usually lead to an infection.
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The disease is caused by two different types of bacteria, we have;
Streptobacillus moniliformis, is the reported bacteria that causes rat-bite fever in North America.
Spirillum minus is the other bacteria, which is common in Asia.
Humans get infected with the bacteria after they come in contact with rodents that are carriers of the bacteria, on the other hand, there could be an infection through the consumption of contaminated food or water, the contamination is done through the droppings or urine of rodents into food or water bodies.
Household pets like cats or dogs that have an exposure to a carrier rodent can carry the disease and with time, also infect humans. If there is a rodent bite. Contact with surfaces that are contaminated with the bacteria could aid the bacteria in finding their way into the body through open skin, like cuts or scrapes or mucous membranes such as the eye, nose, or mouth.
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Rat-bite fever when it is not treated on time, can become a fatal disease, it is not a disease that can be spread from human to human. The symptoms that come with the early stage of RBF can be similar to other medical conditions.
The signs of Rat-bite fever include; joint pain, rash, vomiting, fever, and muscle pain. The symptoms usually begin around 3-10 days after contact with the bacteria, but it could be delayed for as long as 3 weeks. Within 2-4 days after the fever starts, the rash may begin to show on the hands on feet. The rash would have a flat look, and red areas with small bumps, and one or more of the joints may then become painful, swollen, or red in color.
Untreated Rat-bite fever could lead to severe complications like; Liver infections, infection of the lung, infection of the brain and nervous system, infection of the heart, and abscesses inside of the body.
There is a greater chance of getting a rat-bite fever if you;
- Have a weak immune system.
- Those who consume rats.
- People who spend time in regions with a rat or rodent infestation.
- People who keep rats, other rodents, mice, and guinea pigs as pets.
A doctor could diagnose S.moniliformis by taking out blood samples or tissues for testing, usually result will come out within 3 days. In order to diagnose S.minus, samples are taken for test, and the tissue is placed on a glass side and treated with a stain.
Those who have the infection are advised to take good care of themselves really fast, every wound area should be kept clean, it should be washed appropriately with soap and water and covered with a clean bandage. Every antibiotic recommended must also be taken as prescribed, consuming lots of water is a necessity, as it will help the body clear every present infection.
References.
clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases
In boarding school, a lot of people usually experience rat bite. In fact, most Nigerian students that were boarding school students in government owned secondary school can testify to rat biting and blowing breeze to the leg. Did you get such experience growing up?
I heard that story too but never experienced one, and neither did I know anyone who personally experienced one.
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Very informative post on rat bite fever and the dangers associated. It's important to raise awareness about the potential health risks. Have you encountered any effective methods or strategies for preventing rodent infestations in residential areas?