ratbite fever

[ rat-bahyt ]

nounPathology.
  1. either of two relapsing febrile diseases, widely distributed geographically, caused by infection with Streptobacillus moniliformis or Spirillum minor and transmitted by rats.

Origin of ratbite fever

1
First recorded in 1905–10; rat + bite

Words Nearby ratbite fever

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for ratbite fever

ratbite fever

ratbite disease

/ (ˈrætˌbaɪt) /


noun
  1. pathol an acute infectious febrile disease caused by the bite of a rat infected with either of two pathogenic bacteria (Streptobacillus moniliformis or Spirillum minus)

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