Septic Polyarthritis Caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis

Abstract

Streptobacillus moniliformis is a pleomorphic, fastidious gram-negative bacillus that colonizes rodent respiratory tracts and causes rat-bite fever in humans. Rat-bite fever is associated with septic arthritis, usually monoarticular or pauciarticular. We report a rare case of polyarticular septic arthritis caused by S. moniliformis; the disease was initially misdiagnosed as inflammatory arthritis.

Keywords

• septic arthritis
• polyarthritis
• Streptobacillus moniliformis
• rats
• MALDI-TOF
• bacteria