Platybasia is a spinal disease of a malformed relationship between the occipital bone and cervical spine. It may be caused by Pagets disease. Platybasia is also a feature of Gorlin-Goltz syndrome, commonly known as basal cell nevus syndrome. It may be developmental in origin or due to softening of the skull base bone, allowing it to be pushed upward. The developmental variant is the result of a wider angle between the skull base of the frontal or anterior fossa and the clivus, which defines the anterior wall of the posterior fossa. It is sometimes associated with other congenital abnormalities of the bone structure, such as fusion of the first cervical vertebrae to the skull atlas assimilation. Further reading
Pearce JM (2007). "Platybasia and basilar invagination". Eur. Neurol. 58 (1): 62–4. doi:10.1159/000102172. PMID 17483591. == External links ==
Symptoms do not manifest for two to four weeks after exposure to the organism, and the wound through which it entered exhibits slow healing and marked inflammation. The fever lasts longer and is recurring, for months in some cases. Rectal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms are less severe or are absent. Penicillin is the most common treatment. Streptobacillosis
The streptobacillosis form of rat-bite fever is known by the alternative names Haverhill fever and epidemic arthritic erythema. It is a severe disease caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis, transmitted either by rat bite or ingestion of contaminated products (Haverhill fever). After an incubation period of 2–10 days, Haverhill fever begins with high prostrating fevers, rigors (shivering), headache, and polyarthralgia (joint pain). Soon, an exanthem (widespread rash) appears, either maculopapular (flat red with bumps) or petechial (red or purple spots) and arthritis of large joints can be seen. The organism can be cultivated in blood or articular fluid. The disease can be fatal if untreated in 20% of cases due to malignant endocarditis, meningoencephalitis, or septic shock. Treatment is with penicillin, tetracycline, or doxycycline. Diagnosis
This condition is diagnosed by detecting the bacteria in skin, blood, joint fluid, or lymph nodes. Blood antibody tests may also be used. To get a proper diagnosis for rat-bite fever, different tests are run depending on the symptoms being experienced. To diagnosis streptobacillary rat-bite fever, blood or joint fluid is extracted and the organisms living in it are cultured.