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1: Am J Ind Med. 2004 Apr;45(4):357-60.Click here to read Links

Fatal rat bite fever in a pet shop employee.

Shvartsblat S, Kochie M, Harber P, Howard J.

Department of Family Medicine, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024, USA. stevesmdmph@hotmail.com

BACKGROUND: Rat bite fever is a zoonotic disease that has been described in laboratory personnel as well as the general population. METHODS: A 24-year-old male pet shop employee contracted the disease through a minor superficial finger wound on a contaminated rat cage. The disease progressed from a flu-like illness to endocarditis involving first the aortic valve and then the mitral valve and septum. Despite aggressive therapy including two surgical procedures, the patient died from sepsis and multi-organ system failure 59 days after initial injury. RESULTS: This is the first reported case of rat-bite fever (RBF) in a pet shop work setting. CONCLUSIONS: Zoonotic infections may present a significant hazard to workers handling animals. Education on hazards of animal contact and other preventive measures are needed in small places of business like pet shops. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

PMID: 15029568 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]