Hong Kong: 2nd human case of rat disease (HEV) discovered

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.health24.com/News/worlds-first-human-case-of-rat-disease-discovered-20180928-2



28 September 2018
World's first human case of rat disease discovered

A Hong Kong man has developed the world's first ever human case of the rat version of the hepatitis E virus, according to new research from one of the city's leading universities.

Hong Kong - A Hong Kong man has developed the world's first ever human case of the rat version of the hepatitis E virus, according to new research from one of the city's leading universities.

There had previously been no evidence the disease could jump from rats to humans, the University of Hong Kong said Friday, warning the discovery had "major public health significance".

"This study conclusively proves for the first time in the world that rat HEV can infect humans to cause clinical infection," the university added.

 

[Shiloh]

Source: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong...d-hong-kong-resident-infected-hepatitis-virus

World?s second case of rat hepatitis E in humans reported in Hong Kong, two months after local resident revealed as first patient

Patient, 70, is a retiree who lived in the Wong Tai Sin district, the same area as man in previous case
Expert says both infections are not linked despite two locations being only 3km apart

PUBLISHED : Monday, 19 November, 2018, 4:18pm
UPDATED : Tuesday, 20 November, 2018, 12:14am

A 70-year-old Hong Kong woman was revealed on Monday to be the world?s second case of rat hepatitis E infection in humans, two months after another local resident living 3km (1.9 miles) away was reported as the first patient.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee said hours after the news broke that she was very concerned about the emergence of the second case. A local expert involved in the investigation said it was not linked to the first infection despite both patients living in the same district...