ratbite fever

9.3

An illness you get from a rat or mouse bite that causes fever, headache and a skin rash

noun
/ˈrætˌbaɪt ˈfiːvər/

Specialized

: fiebre por mordedura de rata

The doctor explained that ratbite fever may present with symptoms like fever, chills, and skin rash.

Examples

He was diagnosed with ratbite fever after his pet rat bit him.
Cases of ratbite fever are rare but can cause serious illness if not recognized quickly.
After being bitten by a rodent, she was diagnosed with ratbite fever and required immediate treatment.
People often confuse ratbite fever with other illnesses.
After being bitten by a rodent, she was diagnosed with ratbite fever and required immediate treatment.
Cases of ratbite fever are rare but can cause serious illness if not recognized quickly.
The doctor explained that ratbite fever may present with symptoms like fever, chills, and skin rash.

Synonyms

Haverhill fever

vsratbite fever

Specialized

9.9

A disease after a rat bite that causes fever, a rash, and joint pain

is the broader infection from rodent bites that covers multiple regional forms

spirillum fever

vsratbite fever

Specialized

9.9

A disease from rat bites that occurs in parts of East Asia

is the general rodent bite infection rather than a regional variant

Surface Forms

ratbite fever singular

ratbite fevers plural

Morphology

ratbite + fever

The meaning 'fever caused by a rat or mouse bite' is directly and compositionally derivable from the constituents 'rat' + 'bite' + 'fever' (a common medical noun-noun compounding pattern indicating cause). Although 'ratbite' as a single token is uncommon, a B1 learner who knows 'rat', 'bite' and 'fever' can readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Ratbite fever comes from a simple image: a person becomes ill after a rat bite, which often causes a high fever and other symptoms. So the name directly describes the disease you get from a rat or mouse bite.