Miner in Kosovo and Metohija contracts hantavirus: He was urgently sent to Kragujevac, ended up on dialysis

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A miner from Leposavic in northern Kosovo and Metohija has contracted hantavirus ("mouse fever"), Telegraf.rs has learned. Infectious diseases specialist at KBC Kosovska Mitrovica Dr. Danica Radomirovic told us that a patient exhibiting a severe clinical picture was referred for treatment in Kragujevac, in central Serbia.

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In a conversation with our portal, she pointed out that the case was recorded about 15 days ago, and that the KBC does not have the possibility of diagnosing this infectious disease.

"He is a Serb, works in a mine, but not underground. He had some symptoms for a couple of days, a clinical picture developed, and we were not able to diagnose him. And he was in really a bad condition, he had to be be put on dialysis. So was referred to the intensive care unit in Kragujevac. Later I heard that it was confirmed it was a case of mouse fever," says Radomirovic, adding that the patient is recovering.

Regarding dialysis, she said that in most cases this is an urgent measure.

"One of the symptoms is the inability to urinate. This happened to him as well. It can last for a couple of dialysis sessions and end there. In most cases, that treatment is temporary," she explains, stating that permanent damage can also be done by the virus.

In KBC Kosovska Mitrovica, to which residents of the north of Kosovo gravitate - from Mitrovica, Leposavic, Zubina Potok and Zvecani, as well as Raska - but in which, according to the doctor, residents of the south are also treated in smaller numbers, there are no hantavirus patients at this time.

Printscreen: Kosovo Online

As we reported earlier, a person can become infected when they come in contact with the secretions of infected animals. Those who are most vulnerable and susceptible to these infections are people whose jobs are related to nature: foresters, forest fruit pickers, veterinarians and farmers. The source of infection can be soil, mud or contaminated water and air.

The urine excreted by animals that contains this virus is spread and then people who have scratches on their hands or feet and do not protect those wounds get infected in that way.

(Telegraf.rs)