i got this from my sister she sent it to me by email and i wanted everyone to read this so please do so?

Question

From Carlton in Pennsylvania--------------Allan




Leptospirosis -- VERY IMPORTANT PLEASE READ


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 Leptospirosis. 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 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.


Please forward this message to all the people you care about.


(I JUST DID)


Leptospirosis is an infectious disease that affects humans and animals. It results in a wide range of symptoms, and some people may have no symptoms at all. It is caused by a spiral-shaped bacterium (spirochete). Symptoms include high fever, chills, muscle aches, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, and jaundice (! yellow skin and eyes).



A definitive diagnosis requires laboratory testing of a blood or urine sample. Early detection is important because the disease can cause serious complications if not treated early in its course. These include kidney damage (nephrosis), meningitis (inflammation of the tissue around the brain or spinal cord), resp iratory distress and/or liver failure.

Answer 1

I want you to read this:
Leptospirosis, better known as Weil's disease, is a potentially deadly illness caused by bacteria passed along to humans in contact with urine from diseased animals (rats, frogs, rabbits, snakes, pigs and dogs). It is picked up rurally from swimming in contaminated lakes and reservoirs. In cities, the bacteria are passed along more easily — people splashing through puddles in areas that have a large rodent population might contract the disease, and eating or drinking contaminated food and water is always a danger. Leptospirosis can also be contracted by rubbing eyes with dirty hands. People with open cuts and wounds are especially vulnerable to the bacteria, as it can be picked up almost anywhere.

As the rat population in cities grows, so does the potential for contact with this disease.

Leptospirosis typically causes aches, pains and fever that go away on their own. One in ten cases includes high fever, jaundice, meningitis (inflammation of the brain lining), acute kidney failure, internal bleeding and, occasionally, death. Victims can die if they develop serious kidney or liver complications. In extreme cases, death follows three to six days after infection. The disease is treatable with antibiotics.

In November 1998 leptospirosis killed eight people and hospitalized one hundred in China. In the same month in 1997, 22 people died from the same cause out of the 300 who were infected with it. In the United States, 100 to 200 cases of leptospirosis occur each year (with about half of those in Hawaii), according to the Center for Disease Control.

Another disease passed on through rat urine is hantavirus. It is transmitted to humans through breathing in particles of an infected rodent's urine, droppings or saliva. The virus becomes airborne when excrement dries. Early symptoms mimic the flu and can progress to respiratory failure. Since 1993, 21 deaths in the United States have been blamed on this disease.

In general, urine-encrusted soda cans are not the most likely purveyors of these diseases. Most cans of soda are packaged into cardboard boxes while still on the production line and thus aren't at any risk of contamination. Additionally, once bottlers have mixed soft drink syrup in with soda water and sweetener, they try to get the finished product to the consumer as expeditiously as possible. Soft drink bottlers don't warehouse large inventories of finished product for any length of time — freshness is everything, so the product is moved out quickly, leaving little opportunity for rodents to use the tops of cans as latrines. Nonetheless, it's still always a good idea to wipe off cans from exposed six-packs or those dispensed from drink machines, if for no other reason than to avoid picking up something passed on by the human handlers of the product.

Barbara "errata" Mikkelson

And the next time you get one of these chain emails find the original poster and tell that big goon to lay off the Michael Moore movies.

Answer 2

Wow

If she died from drinking out of the can, surely she would have still got Lepto if she used the glass.

I think I might just have to wash my coke cans from now on.

Here's more on Leptospirosis!

Answer 3

I learned from a friend years ago to always wash the tops of cans before you drink from them.

Answer 4

hi

Answer 5

I got this e-mail from a close friend of mine a few weeks ago it's it crazy !!! Kudos to you for posting it here on yahoo answers so that everyone can be more aware of it !!!!

Answer 6

Well. I will be washing my coke cans- How about everyone else?

Answer 7

this is why for as long as i can remember, my parents have made us wash the tops of pops off,

Answer 8

Not just coke ...all pop and beer too!

Answer 9

thats heavy

Answer 10

Thanks for the info.Hope people will be more alert and carefull