That's Fit

It takes a moment to string the facts together so that they make sense: A woman is suing PetSmart for their role in her husband's death, because they sold another (unnamed) woman a sick hamster.

The woman who owned the sick hamster, which had something called LCMV, died of a stroke. Her liver was transplanted into Nancy Magee's husband, Thomas. Thomas died a month later from the contaminated liver, as did two other organ recipients. Another became seriously ill, but recovered. Now Nancy Magee is suing the pet superstore for selling the pet in the first place.

In most healthy people, LCMV is a mild infection that clears up on its own and can be prevented by good hand washing hygiene after holding a rodent pet. Pregnant woman should not hold rodent pets, as LCMV can be passed on to the fetus and cause serious problems. Immuno-suppressed patients, like the organ recipients in this story, are at a higher risk of complications from the infection.

How sad that such an unselfish gift was complicated in this way. My heart goes out to the families.