Man Suffered Organ Failure After A Toilet Rat Bite

A toilet rat sank its teeth into a Canadian man’s hand, causing organ failure and infection. The 76-year-old man was trying to remove the rat from his toilet when it nibbled two of his fingers.

He went to the emergency room, had basic wound care and a tetanus injection, and was discharged.

However, 18 days later, the septuagenarian was back in the emergency room.

He had been suffering from fever, headaches, and abdominal pain for three days, according to a study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Medical testing revealed that he had a rapid heart rate, a low blood pressure, and kidney damage.

He was taken to the intensive care unit after exhibiting signs of multi-organ failure and sepsis.

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While his bite wound had mostly healed, physicians felt it had something to do with his declining health.

They conducted blood and urine tests and discovered that the man had leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that is commonly transmitted to people by animals such as rats and can be lethal in rare, severe cases.

The bacteria is present in animal pee, and doctors believe the rat may have had a mouthful of the contaminated urine when he bit the Canadian’s fingers, allowing the bacteria to enter his body, according to the story.

The Canadian man was treated with antibiotics and steroids and was discharged from the ICU after three days.

Every year, about 1 million cases of leptospirosis are reported worldwide, with almost 60,000 of these resulting in death.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli