Treatment is with penicillin. Rickettsial Pox, also known as Kew Gardens Spotted Fever - rather oddly as the disease does not occur in the UK, is transmitted by the mite liponyssoides sangineus which is common to both rats and mice. The disease occurs in Russia, the USA and Africa. About 10-24 days after a bite, fever occurs and an eschar develops at the site and the draining nodes enlarge. Over the next 1-4 days, a vesicular rash develops.
Diagnosis is by serology and treatment is with tetracycline.
The condition is generally benign. It is excreted in their saliva, urine and faeces and is transmitted to man via food, dust, bites and in the handling of pets and dead mice. This may progress to meningitis with paralysis and coma, though deaths are rare. Diagnosis is by serology. Lassa Fever is derived from multimammate rats which carry the virus lifelong if infected congenitally.