Re: Is their a bacteria that cause rat bite feaver.

Rat bite fever is caused by the bacteria Streptobacillus moniliformis.  
Rat bite fever is an acute febrile illness accompanied by a skin rash.  
Those affected get a morbilliform rash over the extremities, particularly 
the hands and feet.  They may also have painful swelling and restricted 
movement of wrist and knee joints.  Signs of systemic infection may also 
be present including chills and headache.  The bacteria can be isolated 
from blood and synovial fluid of inflamed joints.

Most cases of this are from bites of wild or lab rats.  Occasionally, 
mice, squirrels, weasels, dogs, and cats can transmit the disease by 
biting or scratching.  The disease can also be caused by drinking rat 
excrement-contaminated milk.  However, the disease is then called 
Haverhill fever.

Rat bite fever is seen worldwide but more in crowded cities with poor 
sanitation.  Treatment is with antibiotics such as amoxicillin/clavulonic 
acid or doxycycline.

Source: Blackwell's Underground Clinical Vignettes USMLE Step I, 
Microbiology Vol II, 3rd ed.

Bonnie Tam