Food poisoning is already scary enough, especially when the symptoms do not seem to get better even after a few days.
Recently, a Malaysian woman took to Threads to share how her 26-year-old brother’s condition allegedly went from vomiting and diarrhoea to testing positive for leptospirosis, also commonly known in Malaysia as “kencing tikus”.
The post has since gained attention online, with many netizens expressing concern over what happened.
Vomited and had diarrhoea for two days
According to the woman, her brother had allegedly eaten ayam gepuk somewhere around Ampang before he started experiencing vomiting and diarrhoea for two days.
At one point, she claimed that he fell in the bathroom early in the morning and could not get up. As it happened around 4am to 5am, no one in the house heard him.
“He crawled back into the room and said he was okay,” she wrote.
However, things became more worrying the next morning when he reportedly developed a fever and fainted again in the bathroom.
Rushed to emergency department
The woman said her brother was shaking, feeling numb all over his body, vomiting, and having diarrhoea at the same time.
Worried by his condition, the family brought him to the emergency department.
According to her, they were told that his body was lacking salt, and he was allowed to return home that night.
However, two days later, his condition allegedly had not improved as he was still having fever, diarrhoea, and vomiting.
Too weak to stand
The woman shared that they initially planned to bring him to a government clinic to get medical leave.
However, her brother had become so weak that he could no longer stand properly.
At the clinic, he was reportedly put on drip as he was already dehydrated, and was also given antibiotics.
In a later update, she said the family brought him to a private clinic after noticing that his ear appeared red.
A blood test was then carried out, and the clinic reportedly found that his platelet count was very low.
Later tested positive for leptospirosis
Following the blood test result, the woman said they were advised to return to the emergency department for further checks.
There, doctors allegedly requested additional tests, including one for leptospirosis. It turned out to be a positive result.
The woman said she was not sure which ayam gepuk outlet her brother had visited, but urged others who enjoy eating ayam gepuk to be careful.
She also clarified that her brother had washed his utensils at home before eating, suggesting that the exact source of infection remains unclear.
While the post has raised concern among netizens, it is important to note that the claim is based on the woman’s personal account.
Speaking to WeirdKaya, the woman said the doctor explained that leptospirosis is no longer only linked to rivers or dirty water areas.
According to her, the doctor told them that food could also be a possible source of infection if a food outlet does not maintain cleanliness, as this could attract rats.
She added that she was not sure whether her brother had gone anywhere else before or after the meal, as he had gone out to eat with his friend.
However, based on what she knew, he was the type who would usually go out to eat and then return home directly without hanging around elsewhere.
She also confirmed that her brother had eaten the ayam gepuk at the outlet itself and not through takeaway or delivery.
‘Look at the shop’s condition before eating’
For now, the family has not lodged any report as they are still considering whether her brother wants to proceed with one.
When asked what she hopes the public can take away from the incident, she advised others to pay attention to the cleanliness of eateries before deciding to eat there.
“I think before eating, look at the condition of the shop. If it looks dirty, don’t continue eating there even if the food is good,” she told WeirdKaya.
At the time of writing, there has been no official statement from any restaurant or health authority regarding the matter.
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