In Spain, rat hepatitis was detected in humans for the first time
Details
Dozens of cases of infection have already been identified.
The virus was first found in Germany in 2010, but then it was believed that it was not transmitted to humans. Eight years later, the first sick patient was identified in Hong Kong; until now, such cases have been recorded only sporadically.
This time the virus was first discovered in Spain. About 40 cases of human infection with rat hepatitis E have already been identified. There are people infected in Andalusia, Galicia, Navarre and Catalonia.
Infectious disease experts say that about 30% of rats are carriers of the virus. According to doctors, it is not yet known how the pathogen is transmitted from rats to people. There are several versions, according to one of which, people can become infected after contact with natural secretions of rodents. According to another version, there is a species of animal that acts as an asymptomatic intermediate carrier.
"We are dealing with a completely unknown emerging disease," said Antonio Rivero Juarez of Spain's Institute of Biomedical Research.
All experts agree that there is no reason to believe that the presence of the virus and cases of hepatitis in rats are less common in other countries. It is very likely that the disease actually has a global distribution similar to that seen in rodents.
Memorial to the fallen Moldovan soldiers of the Transnistrian War in Chisinau. Photo: Alexander Moisseenko
Thirty-three years ago, a ceasefire brought an end to the Transnistrian War—sometimes described by locals as the Russian-Moldovan War. Although the tensions officially ended in 1992, its consequences continue to shape Moldovan politics, society, and security — especially in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections.
Finland is moving to withdraw from the Ottawa Convention, which bans anti-personnel mines. Prime Minister Petteri Orpo said the decision comes as a direct response to growing aggression from Russia.
The ruling Georgian Dream party has approved a set of controversial laws, including a “foreign agent” act aimed at NGOs and media. Critics say it mimics the U.S. FARA but is weaponized against dissent.
We regret to inform you that due to lack of funding we are forced to discontinue the English version of our website. This decision was not easy for us, as we have always strived to provide quality and timely information for our international audience and Russian-speaking readers. Unfortunately, the current financial realities leave us no other choice.
The Russian-language version of the site will continue to operate, but in a limited mode. We understand that this will create inconvenience for many of our readers, and we apologize for possible interruptions in the provision of news and analytical materials on this resource.
We appeal to you, our loyal readers, with a request to support our editorial staff. Your help will allow us to continue our work and provide you with important and relevant news. Please go to the support page and make your contribution to the development of independent journalism.
We thank you for your understanding and look forward to your support during this difficult time.
The Russian capital faced one of the largest terrorist attacks in its history. The terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall, which claimed the lives of many innocent people, was the second largest after the Beslan tragedy. But unlike previous attacks, this incident is shrouded in a layer of contradictory facts and ambiguities that point to possible miscalculations by the Russian security services
