Rats have been infecting humans with a new strain of hepatitis E, scientists believe. A series of cases - most of them in Hong Kong - has baffled infectious disease experts who do not know how the disease is being transmitted, CNN reports.
Hepatitis E, an illness of the liver, is normally spread through water contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. There are four known strains, only one of which has previously been thought to infect humans.
But since 2018, 11 Hong Kong residents have tested positive for a strain of hepatitis E which was thought to only affect rats.
The most recent case, that of a 61-year-old man, was discovered just a week ago on April 30 by researchers at the University of Hong Kong.