Considering the number of rats that live in Belize City, it's genuinely surprising that there have not been serious outbreaks of diseases carried by the notorious rodent. However just because we've been spared outbreaks doesn't mean that they can't happen. Two weeks ago a well known businessman became an example of this. He fell victim to leptospirosis and he told us that it is because he ingested rat droppings from a place you'd least expect it. Here's how Ramon Galvez got sick.
Alfonso NobleReporting,
Popular businessman Ramon 'Moncho' Galvez is thanking his doctors today that he is still alive. See him now and he look alright, but two weeks ago he was infected with the deadly leptospirosis. The disease is carried largely by rodents and in Galvez's case he says he can trace it directly back to food that rats came in contact with.
Ramon 'Moncho' Galvez, Businessman
"I sent to buy a pack bread at a Chinese store and I made one sandwich from it and I didn't notice. When I went to get another two slice of bread to make another sandwich I noticed that it was bitten by the rat. So I sent it back and I told the guy to take this back because the bread is not good. I had already eaten it so I didn't pay it attention."
On the following day after eating the bread he says his week long ordeal with leptospirosis began.
Ramon 'Moncho' Galvez,
"Tuesday when I got up I started with a pain in my lower abdomen and in started to urinate a lot and from there it started with a headache. On Wednesday I started feeling pain in all your body like you feel like you are ninety years old, headaches, you vomit a little bit, diarrhea, pain all over your body-it's a terrible feeling. Wednesday I was feeling worse, Thursday I was feeling worse. So Friday morning I said this not working and I went to take a test and so. I went to take the blood test and urine test and everything. On Friday when the results came back the doctor called me and told me that we better deal with this thing in the hospital because all the symptoms that are showing in blood test, is showing that you have like a disease called leptospirosis. I am not a sickly person. I don't eat from the streets. I am very clean. The symptoms, the doctor said, from all the blood tests and all the symptoms, that it starts with like a bladder infection and then it gives you like meningitis, it gives you terrible headache, terrible body ache, and then it makes your eyes get yellow like jaundice and the doctor said it is definitely that."
Galvez was admitted to a hospital on Friday of that week and was out two days later after he was bombarded with a costly antibiotic regimen. Now Galvez says he is going public with his experience to warn people about the dangers of this little-known rodent-borne illness.
Ramon 'Moncho' Galvez,
"I'm dong this because definitely people have to know, the authorities have to know what is happening out there. Our health department has to start doing something about these Chinese restaurants, the stores, the supermarkets. They have to be cleansed. You are dealing with people's lives. I could have lost my life just like that, because of buying one pack of bread. I live so clean and then I have to buy something from somebody who doesn't care and then they can kill you. If I can save someone's life or open up their eyes about something, I'll feel good about it."
There is no test available in country to positively test for leptospirosis but Galvez says his doctors are satisfied from clinical observation that he did have it.
