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Woman dies after being scratched by rat
A woman has died from a rare disease after she was scratched by a rat that she was trying to free from her garden bird feeder.
Carol Colburn, 56, ignored pleas from her husband to wear gloves and suffered scratches and cuts to her fingers as she struggled to free the rodent from the wire feeder. Four days later she developed flu-like symptoms, and within 48 hours she was dead.
An inquest heard she had contracted Weil's disease, a severe form of leptospirosis, which is caused by bacteria found in the urine of wild animals.
In most cases of leptospirosis, sufferers experience severe headaches and flu-like symptoms. Weil's disease, which affects around 10 per cent of lepto­spirosis victims, causes jaundice and liver damage, and can be fatal.
About 50 confirmed cases of Weil's disease are reported to the Public Health Authority each year but in 2006 just two people died from the condition.
Marc Cubbon, a microbiologist at the Royal Sussex Hospital in Brighton, told Brighton Coroners' Court that humans can become infected if they come into contact with the animal's urine, either in soil or in water, or if they come into contact with the animal's skin and they have an open wound.
He said it was also possible that humans might be able to inhale the disease.
Recording a narrative verdict, Arthur Hooper, the deputy coroner for Brighton and Hove, said: "The public should be made aware of the dangers of leaving food out, deliberately or unintentionally, that might attract animals like rats. If you must come into contact with rats please wear gloves."
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