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Fear As Deadly Rat Disease is Found in City Health Bosses Confirm Case of Killer Bug Found in Rodent Urine

Posted on: Thursday, 22 December 2005, 18:00 CST

By GERRY BRAIDEN

ARARE killer disease usually caught from rats' urine has been discovered in Glasgow.

Health chiefs have confirmed that within the last fortnight they treated a man for Weil's disease, normally associated with Third World countries or Victorian sewage staff.

Inquiries were launched into a second suspected case after another man displayed the same symptoms. But public health consultants were unable to confirm it was the same disease.

The investigation into the two cases led public health officials to check the cellars of a bar and restaurant in the city.

It was thought the disease, which can cause kidney and liver failure and meningitis, could have been contracted through drinking bottled beer.

But the checks found the west end venue was storing everything correctly, no traces of the disease were found and a link was ruled out.

The infectious diseases investigation team believes the confirmed case was most likely contracted when the victim was canoeing along the River Kelvin.

The man, along with the other suspected victim, is understood to have made a full recovery.

Dr Syed Ahmed, consultant in Public Health Medicine for NHS Greater Glasgow, said: "In the last few weeks we have had one confirmed case of Weil's disease."

Cases of Weil's disease in Scotland are extremely rare and could number no more than five a year.

Years have gone by without a confirmed case being reported in Glasgow.

Scotland's top infectious disease medic, Dr Martin Donaghy, said the number of cases was very small.

He said: "If we see two cases a year it's unusual.

"It's normally contracted through abrasions in the skin and it would be even more unusual if it was contracted through drinking bottled beer."

gerry. braiden@ eveningtimes. co. uk

TIMES FILE

Weil's disease was a big killer in Victorian times and sewage workers were particularly prone to it.

Countries in the developing world which suffer heavy rainfall also have high levels of the disease.

The symptoms often start like a heavy flu and then jaundice, leading to organ failure and in extreme cases death.

Vermin experts such as Rentokil have warned that it is a disaster waiting to happen if it gets into the water supply.

In 1992, Glasgow man John Reid died from it, as did an Irish golfer who was urinated on by a rat.

Source: Evening Times; Glasgow (UK)

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