This is gross!
This incident happened recently in North Texas .
A woman went boating one Sunday taking with her some cans of coke which
she put into the refrigerator of the boat. On Monday she was taken to
the hospital and placed in the Intensive Care Unit. She died on
Wednesday.
The autopsy concluded she died of Le ptospirosis. This was traced to
the can of coke she drank from, not using a glass. Tests showed that the
can was infected by dried rat urine and hence the disease
Leptospirosis.
Rat urine contains toxic and deathly substances. It is highly
recommended to thoroughly wash the upper part of soda cans before drinking out
of them. The cans are typically stocked in warehouses and transported
straight to the shops without being cleaned.
A study at NYCU showed that the tops of soda cans are more contaminated
than public toilets (i.e).. full of germs and bacteria. So wash them
with water before putting them to the mouth to avoid any kind of fatal
accident.
2006-07-23 14:24:58 · 21 answers · asked by sweetansassywolf 3 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Not true. This is an urban legend that has circulated for years. There's nothing wrong with washing your pop cans--in fact, it's probably as good an idea as washing anything you put in your mouth. But you won't likely contract Leptospirosis. Read the debunking article on Snopes:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/raturine.asp
And Coca Cola addresses it on their website as untrue:
http://www2.coca-cola.com/contactus/myths_rumors/packaging_rat.html
Also, if this was a real concern, wouldn't you think there'd be some kind of warning on the CDC's or WHO's websites?
http://www.who.int/zoonoses/diseases/leptospirosis/en/
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/leptospirosis_g.htm
Check them out. No mention of any one contracting Leptospirosis from Coke cans. You'd have to wade in some seriously dirty city water...and have an open wound or swallow a bunch of water or some such.
2006-07-23 14:55:34 · answer #1 · answered by missd1975 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This has been making the round jon the internet for ages.
Deaths From Soda Cans Contaminated With Rat Urine-Fiction!
The second is about a woman on a boat who drinks from soda cans contaminated with rat urine.
She dies of a different disease called leptospirosis..
The location of the death varies from story to story.
The Truth:
While there are understandable health concerns over rodent urine and droppings, neither of these stories has been substantiated.
2006-07-23 22:21:25 · answer #2 · answered by peggyprobus 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, I've heard of that before. Luckily, it is an urban legand, a myth.
Please check out this links for more info:
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/raturine.asp
P.S. www.snopes.com is a great place to find out if something you got by e-mail, heard from a friend, or say on tv is true. Have fun!
2006-07-23 21:54:16 · answer #3 · answered by JennBride 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Urban legend or not, it's smart to wash all cans before you open them. They sit in dirty warehouses after they've come off dirty trucks.
2006-07-24 00:32:18 · answer #4 · answered by Lake Lover 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ive heard this a few times, this is why you should always wash anything you consume.
2006-07-23 21:30:31 · answer #5 · answered by retisin2002 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Eh? That's messed up. I'm glad I don't drink soda.
2006-07-23 21:28:33 · answer #6 · answered by rachee_gal 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
LOL!! You just posted another urban MYTH!!
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/raturine.asp
2006-07-24 15:50:16 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is why I buy my soda in bottles with caps.
2006-07-23 21:28:45 · answer #8 · answered by littleflower_57 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thank-you for the info. that poor lady.
2006-07-23 21:29:53 · answer #9 · answered by UnderGrad Student 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thanks for the info. Yeah it is gross but I will now be washing all my soda cans.
2006-07-23 21:29:25 · answer #10 · answered by shellsbells 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋