Infection in a Young Immunocompetent Male Caused by Streptobacillus felis, a Putative Zoonotic Microorganism Transmitted by Cats

Ulrich Matt; Judith Schmiedel; Ahmad Fawzy; Janina Trauth; Katja Schmidt; Klaus Vogel; Susanne Herold; Thomas Karrasch; Can Imirzalioglu; Tobias Eisenberg

doi:10.1093/cid/ciaa968

Infection in a Young Immunocompetent Male Caused by Streptobacillus felis, a Putative Zoonotic Microorganism Transmitted by Cats

Clin Infect Dis. 2021 May 18;72(10):1826-1829. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa968.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Internal Medicine II, Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, member of the German Center for Lung Research, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
² Institute of Medical Microbiology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, and German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Giessen-Marburg-Langen, Giessen, Germany.
³ Cairo University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Cairo, Egypt.
⁴ Hessian State Laboratory, Giessen, Germany.
⁵ Microbiological Diagnostics, Center for Preclinical Research, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany.
⁶ Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Giessen, Germany.

PMID: 32658299
DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciaa968

Abstract

Rat bite fever (RBF) is predominantly caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis. We report a human infection with Streptobacillus felis. Clinical presentation was consistent with RBF, but serologic testing was negative for S moniliformis. Eventually, S felis-specific sequences were detected in skin lesions of the patient and in the oropharynx of local cats.

Keywords: Streptobacillus felis; cats; rat bite fever; streptobacillosis.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cats
Humans
Male
Oropharynx
Rat-Bite Fever* / diagnosis
Rat-Bite Fever* / drug therapy
Streptobacillus*

Supplementary concepts

Streptobacillus felis
Streptobacillus moniliformis