Public Health

Social media posts from residents of Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital have shown an abundance of rodents swimming in the Miljacka river which flows through the centre of the city.

Health experts blame a failure to control Sarajevo's rodent population for an alarming rise in the number of cases of rat-borne diseases.

In just one 24 hour period this week, the country's largest hospital reported a dozen cases of leptospirosis. That follows a steady stream of other infections earlier in the month.

One of the disease's nicknames, rat fever, reflects its key vector of infection. It generally spreads to humans through water or soil contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.

Symptoms can range from headaches and muscle pain to bleeding on the lungs. The acute form of the illness, Weil's disease, can cause jaundice and even kidney failure.

The local authorities in Sarajevo have declared an epidemic, allowing the imposition of emergency measures, including a long overdue clean-up.