Historically, the rat was feared for being able to transmit a variety of diseases. Today, rats are increasingly seen as pets, and the number of people bitten by rats is increasing.
An 83-year-old woman was hospitalized for acute care at the Department of Dermatology, Gentofte Hospital, with severe confusion and skin lesions on face and extremities. She had been living alone for some years in a large house, with no regular contact with family or neighbors. At the time of hospitalization, no information was available as to the sequence of the development of her symptoms.