infectious diseases
Rat Bite Fever
Treatment of Rat Bite Fever
Penicillinordoxycycline Treatment of streptobacillary rat-bite fever and spirillary rat-bite fever is a 14-day course of antibiotics that usually begins with an IV antibiotic for 6 to 7 days before switching to an oral antibiotic. The IV antibiotic is usually one of the following: Penicillin G200,000 units every 4 hours Ceftriaxone1 g once a day A higher dose of IVpenicillin Gmay be preferred for patients with severe disease. After 6 or 7 days, patients who have clinically improved can be switched to one of the following oral antibiotics to complete the 14-day course: Amoxicillin500 mg 3 times a day Ampicillin500 mg 4 times a day Penicillin V500 mg 4 times a day Oral antibiotics can be used for patients with mild disease for the entire course of therapy.Doxycycline100 mg orally every 12 hours for 14 days is used for patients allergic to penicillin. Patients withS. moniliformisendocarditis require high-dosepenicillin Gplus eitherstreptomycinorgentamicinfor 4 weeks. 