Human rat disease caused by rodents ‘bigger than CATS’, claims Hong Kong health official
RODENTS that are bigger than cats caused the first case of Hepatitis E human rat disease, a Hong Kong health official said.
By Rachel O’Donoghue
DailyStar.co.uk
29th September 2018
Professor Yuen Kwok-yung, a microbiologist at Hong Kong University, also warned that the state of cleanliness in the Chinese city meant the pests were breeding at an alarming rate.
The Hepatitis E virus was discovered in the 56-year-old man from Hong Kong after he consistently produced abnormal liver function tests following a transplant.
The case is particularly shocking because it was previously not thought the disease could jump from rodents to humans.
Professor Yuen Kwok-yung said: “We don’t know if in future there will be a serious outbreak of the rat Hepatitis E virus in Hong Kong.
Back alleys now are very dirty with lots of rubbish.
“You can see rats that are bigger than cats.”
Experts are now warning the discovery has a “major public health significance” amid fears more people could catch it.
However, officials have also urged the public not to panic, saying there is no evidence of an impending epidemic.
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