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Glite Dictionary
Haverhill fever

Haverhill fever

9.9
A disease after a rat bite that causes fever, a rash, and joint pain
  • noun
  • /ˈhævərˌhɪl ˈfiːvər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fiebre de Haverhill
  • Public health warnings were issued to prevent outbreaks of Haverhill fever in urban areas.

Examples

  • The doctor diagnosed him with Haverhill fever after he developed a persistent rash and joint pain.

  • She was diagnosed with Haverhill fever last week.

  • Several cases of Haverhill fever were reported among children who had contact with pet rats.

  • Have you ever heard of Haverhill fever?

  • Haverhill fever is a type of Haverhill fever that can cause severe joint pain and fever.

  • Symptoms of Haverhill fever include a rash, high fever, and muscle aches.

  • People infected with Haverhill fever often experience swelling and pain in their joints.

Synonyms

ratbite fever
vsHaverhill fever
  • Specialized
9.3

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

is a specific US form caused by one bacterium with rash and joint pain

Surface Forms

Haverhill fever singular
Haverhill fevers plural

Morphology

Haverhill + fever

Knowing 'Haverhill' as a place name and 'fever' a B1 learner can infer that this refers to a type of fever associated with Haverhill (place-name + symptom), so the broad sense is derivable. However, the specific etiology (that it is a form of rat‑bite fever caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis) is not predictable from the constituents, making the term only partially transparent.

Etymology

Haverhill fever is named after the town of Haverhill, Massachusetts, where a large outbreak happened when people drank milk that had a rat germ. Because the sick people had a high 'fever', rash, and joint pain, doctors began to call this rat-linked illness Haverhill fever, so today the name means that specific form of rat-bite fever.