Streptobacillus moniliformis right hand abscess and monoarthritis following a rat bite

Silvio Wallemacq; Mony Hing; Bhavna Mahadeb; Yousra El Kaderi; Sophie Leemans; Evelyne Maillart; Philippe Clevenbergh

doi:10.1016/j.idcr.2022.e01663

Streptobacillus moniliformis right hand abscess and monoarthritis following a rat bite

IDCases. 2022 Dec 23:31:e01663. doi: 10.1016/j.idcr.2022.e01663. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Silvio Wallemacq¹, Mony Hing², Bhavna Mahadeb², Yousra El Kaderi³, Sophie Leemans¹, Evelyne Maillart¹, Philippe Clevenbergh¹

Affiliations

¹ Infectious Diseases Department, Brugmann University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
² Laboratoire Hospitalier Universitaire de Bruxelles, Service de Microbiologie, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.
³ Geriatric Department, Brugmann University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium.

Abstract

Streptobacillus moniliformis is a zoonotic agent associated with rat bites. We present a patient with cellulitis, subcutaneous abscess, and septic mono-arthritis after a rat bite of the right hand. The patient had no systemic features of rat bite fever (RBF). S. moniliformis was cultured from purulent drainage of a thumb abscess. This case illustrates an unusual clinical presentation of streptobacillary infection after a rat bite.

Keywords: Rat bite fever; Rodent borne diseases; Streptobacillus moniliformis.

Publication types

Case Reports