Rat Bite Disease

Rat bite disease - also known as Sodoku - is a rare and deadly infectious disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Infection occurs through the bite of an infected rat or the carcass of a rodent contaminated with bacteria. The disease is severe and has a high mortality rate.

The disease was first described in 1557 in Korean and Japanese soldiers fighting during the Japanese invasion of Korea (1592-1598). However, until the 20th century, this disease was not known in Europe and the USA. It was in Japan that the disease became widely known