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French pensioner dies of incredibly rare bat virus that last killed a human 35 years ago
The man, who was in his 60s, died in Limoges, France, the National Rabies Reference Center has confirmed although the cause of his death was initially shrouded in mystery
19:37, 10 JAN 2021
The death is the first case of EBLV-1 discovered in mainland France (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
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According to a retrospective analysis, the Institut Pasteur has reported the death of a 60-year-old Limoges man had died from European bat Lyssavirus type 1 in August 2019.
It is believed the victim was bitten or scratched by a bat nesting in the attic of his house.
In August 2019, he died encephalitis, the cause of which was not known.
A partnership established between the Necker hospital and the Pasteur Institute, aimed at identifying the causes of undocumented encephalitis, led to the genetic analysis of post-mortem samples. These analyzes at Necker Hospital in Paris showed that he had contracted a lyssavirus, European Bat Lyssavirus type 1 (EBLV-1).