First human case of rat hepatitis found in Hong Kong

The first case of a human contracting rat hepatitis was uncovered in Hong Kong, researchers say.

The diagnosis of the hepatitis E strain was discovered when a 56-year-old man from Hong Kong had abnormal test results following a liver transplant, reports South China Morning Post.

Additional testing confirmed he had a strain of hepatitis E previously only found in animals such as rats.

"Infections that jump from animals to humans must be taken very seriously," Dr. Siddharth Sridhar, clinical assistant professor at the University of Hong Kong, said in a statement to The New York Times.

The patient was treated with an antiviral medication and is recovering, according to The Morning Post.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hepatitis E is most common in developing countries with inadequate water supply and sanitation. The World Health Organization estimates there are 20 million infections worldwide.