Haverhill fever
A febrile disease transmitted by rat bite, first diagnosed in Haverhill, Massachusetts, in 1925.
Cause. The disease is caused by the bacterium STREPTOBACILLUS MONIUFORMS. This spirochete-like bacterium is normally found in rat saliva.
Symptoms. Within 10 days of a rat bite, the patient experiences fever, chills, vomiting, headache, muscle and joint pain, and a rash appears.
Diagnosis. Lab analysis of blood or pus can reveal the bacteria that cause the disease.
Treatment. Antibiotics are effective against Haverhill fever.
