[East 12th Street the other day]
Via The Verge:
[S]cientists captured 133 rats from traps set in five locations around New York City, euthanized them, then took genetic samples of the bacteria and viral specimens found in their tissues and excretions (saliva, feces, etc). The scientists found lots of viruses, not surprisingly.
But while many of the bacteria detected were expected — including e. coli and salmonella — the scientists also found at 18 completely new viruses. None of these new viruses have been found in humans, at least not yet, but two of them are structurally similar to Hepatitis C, which does occur in people and raises the risk of liver scarring and cancer.
While there's no immediate cause for alarm, the scientists note that that the spread of these new viruses from rats to humans could theoretically already be occurring and is possible in the future...
On Sunday, New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer released an audit showing widespread deficiencies in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's response to citizen complaints about rats.
3 comments:
Please somebody leak this to the press and the billionaires moving into condos on the Bowery.
When have diseases ever jumped from animals to humans? That would require a level of evolution that is not possible.
Aren't fleas considered animals? Fleas gave us "The Plague".
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