Lawsuit against Petsmart over little known LCMV virus points to risks associated with transplants

A woman is suing Petsmart after her husband died of a little known illness, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus.  Her husband received a liver transplant; the organ was tainted with LCMV. The Boston Herald says the donor had contracted the virus after buying a sick hamster at a Rhode Island Petsmart store.

My daughters had pet hamsters—one of them had 13 babies, having come home from the pet shop (not a Petsmart) unbeknown to us with child. My daughter waltzed in the door, and named her "Jumbo" after exclaiming, "Isn't she fat, Mama?" The store owner, after the multiple births,  told me they’d probably die. They all thrived and the ensuing scramble to find adoptive homes will probably live in my family history for years to come. My husband will never forget it, that's for sure.

I admit I was always uncomfortable with my children having these critters, even though both girls were old enough to take precautions with hygiene. The Centers for Disease Control offers a great fact sheet about LCMV; anyone contemplating a rodent for a pet should read it carefully.

I don’t know how the lawsuit will pan out—some bloggers think it’s frivolous. This isn’t a condition a doctor would probably even think about because the symptoms mimic other routine illnesses. I have to confess hamsters were my least favorite pets for the girls, but they are cute and they do some amazing acrobatics in their cages. My daughter’s gerbil died when it was about 5 years old—she was in high school by then. I was sad, but I made a firm new rule: no more rodents in my house even if they’re in a cage. The lawsuit reminded me there are risks with pets too, and LCMV is a risk I don' t think I'd take again even if the creatures are cute.

[Read my guest column at the Blog Catalog blog—how I learned what the term social media really means.]