Fatal Rat Bite?

[CTO]

The rat disease I see here is caught from contact with rat piss - not another version of Yaa Dong - but rather feet bing in water rats pissed in - usually fields.

[dddave]

The rat disease I see here is caught from contact with rat piss - not another version of Yaa Dong - but rather feet bing in water rats pissed in - usually fields.

 

That sounds similar to the "HANTA VIRUS" that first showed up in the Navaho pueblo communities in New Mexico about 25 years ago, except the source was mouse piss in the grain storage jars.

[CTO]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptospirosis - love how they write it's relatively rare - how come I know two board members who've hard very sick relatives with this?

[redwood13]

Rat bite fever is usually caused by a bacteria:Streptobacillus moniliformis.

 

Here are a couple of cases reported by the CDC, one in the State of Washington and the other in Florida involving a pet shop employee and a woman who had 9 pet rats in her home.

 

Fatal Rat-Bite Fever

 

"Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a rare, systemic illness caused by infection with Streptobacillus moniliformis. RBF has a case-fatality rate of 7%--10% among untreated patients (1). S. moniliformis is commonly found in the nasal and oropharyngeal flora of rats. Human infection can result from a bite or scratch from an infected or colonized rat, handling of an infected rat, or ingestion of food or water contaminated with infected rat excreta (1). An abrupt onset of fever, myalgias, arthralgias, vomiting, and headache typically occurs within 2--10 days of exposure and is usually followed by a maculopapular rash on the extremities (1). This report summarizes the clinical course and exposure history of two rapidly fatal cases of RBF.........."

 

-redwood

[CTO]

One problem here is that it's rarely identified quickly leading to a uncommonly high rate - amongst those I've known

[Central Scrutinizer]

I was walking down Soi 22 last weekend. A large rat ran across the sidewalk and scampered into a hole in a tarmac patch in the sidewalk. This is where the large tin fence blocks off view of the empty lot there on the side opposite Larry's Dive. I peeked into the hole where the rat disappeared and saw there were a whole crowd of rats down there. Dozens! See them all the time on Suk running from one sewer drain to the next along the gutter. Hate the fuckers. They are everywhere here.

 

Also, on the 'cat' bite thing someone mentioned earlier. My wife and family keep no cats as pets. They do not like them at all. Say they are dirty and have diseases. (My ex wife was a cat lover and we had cats all during our marriage.)

 

Can't say I miss them much, but I am not a cat hater. Had some nice ones over the years. But, maybe the tropical climate here makes their bite and scratches more infectious? Dunno.

 

Cent

[CTO]

http://www.thailandstories.com/article/non-fiction/living-with-a-thai-girl-mar-noo.html

 

 

I knew I read it somewhere