Obviously, he would have delayed reporting his injury to a doctor, according to our French colleagues from L’Union. After consulting his GP, the latter sent him directly to the emergency room at Amiens University Hospital. But unfortunately, it was too late.
The Regional Health Agency (ARS) in France confirms that this is an isolated case (with no other cases identified nearby).
He was affected by leptospirosis, “rat disease” or “sewer disease”. It is a bacterial disease, present throughout the world, but which can be transmitted in different ways, as explained by the Ministry of Health and Access to Care in France: “In humans, the bacteria mainly enters through damaged skin or mucous membranes. Transmission can be direct by simple contact with infected animals or by bite (especially rat bite), but in most cases, transmission is indirect during freshwater swimming, fishing, or boating activities. , kayaking, rafting or canyoning. Leptospires, present in water following contaminated animal droppings, enter the body through wounds, skin or mucous membrane erosions, through the conjunctiva, and by inhalation of droplets.“
This bacteria is not necessarily fatal, this is the case in a minority of cases.
