An elderly man died from a blood infection that was caused by his pet
cat, following a minor bite on his thumb, according to doctors in
Canada.
The 68-year-old man of Toronto, was bitten by his pet cat on the thumb, but the wound healed quickly.
A week later, the man checked himself into the Toronto General Hospital,
complaining of weakness and abdominal pain. He also suffered from
chills and lost around 20 pounds in just two weeks.
These and other signs pointed to sepsis, or blood poisoning.
An ultrasound showed that there was a large aneurysm in the abdominal
part of the aorta, which descends from the heart through the torso.
Doctors quickly replaced it, but his veins were very fragile.
Tests showed that the man suffered an infection by Pasteurella
multocida, which is from a common bacteria that lives in the mouths of
pets and most often transmitted through bites from cats.
The man was treated with penicillin after surgery, but died two weeks after severe sepsis.
Doctors said that because the man was a heavy alcohol drinker, this
immune system was compromised, causing him to be at risk of long-term
complications from the bacteria.
