The family and employers of a British language teacher in Trang province are calling for an investigation into his death from suspected leptospirosis, a water-borne rat urine disease.
Justin Acklan, 38, taught English at Wichienmatu School in Trang’s Muang district. His death shocked relatives, teachers and students since he was healthy and unlikely to have been in contact with conditions that cause the disease.
Leptospirosis is transmitted by animal urine, usually from rodents. The disease can enter the body through the skin, eyes, mouth or nose as a result of contact with water or soil containing animal urine.
Acklan died in Wattanapat Trang Hospital on Thursday just 10 days after falling ill. Doctors had diagnosed him with leptospirosis, his wife Oranut Acklan, 38, said yesterday.
Acklan, a former competitive cyclist, rode his bike every day and never fell ill, Ms Oranut said. However, he complained of muscle aches and fever on Dec 9. He was taken to the hospital, where a doctor tested his blood for possible dengue fever and advised to rest at home.
By Dec 13, his condition had worsened, so he was rushed to hospital again, where a medical specialist said he had been infected with the rat urine disease. The specialist claimed his symptoms were not serious and could be cured, Ms Oranut said.
However, her husband continued to deteriorate. He suffered more muscle pains and headaches and could not sleep. On Monday, a health check concluded that he had developed symptoms similar to meningitis. He was treated at the hospital but was pronounced dead on Thursday afternoon, his wife said.
Ms Oranut raised doubts about the cause of Acklan’s death, saying she had never seen rats in her house. Her husband had no contact with rat urine and did not go to any areas at risk of the disease, she said, urging officials to investigate the real cause of his death.
Sathaporn Muangmanpian, a Wichienmatu School representative, said Acklan was loved by colleagues and students, and his death was an enormous loss to the school.
Mr Sathaporn also called for an investigation into his death. If leptospirosis was found to be the cause, measures had to be taken to prevent an outbreak, he said.
Withoon Luangdirok, of the provincial public health office, said he would ask Wattanapat Trang Hospital to provide information about the treatment Acklan was given.