Dog-sized rats sniff out TB in patients [pic]
 

Dog-sized rats sniff out TB in patients - Aug 2010

http://www.newsvine.com/_vine/images...er/4879930.jpg
[LINKHOTTED]
Yes, it's nearly as big as a chihuahua but don't be afraid. Rodents of unusual size, such as this one, could save your hide. A pilot program in Tanzania has trained them to detect land mines and also sniff out tuberculosis.

Could a giant, spit-sniffing rat save your life? Maybe ? they can be better than humans at diagnosing tuberculosis. A pilot program in Tanzania is using trained rats to smell TB in sputum samples. Up to 1,000 samples a week are collected from local hospitals by APOPO, a nonprofit that also trains rats to sniff out landmines. Although the TB samples have already been checked by a human under the microscope, the rat pack?s sniff tests have improved disease detection by 44 percent because the clever rodents often find TB that was missed.

LINK

:2 cents: Now there's a proper rat. :uhoh

It's amazing what you can train animals to do.

man i want a giant rat! if nothing else just to freak the fuck out of guests!

invite some people over for dinner and during dinner excuse yourself and secretly let the rat loose then watch the fun begin!

I did that at a Christmas party I hosted in '89, except with a big snake. My guests were not amused. One woman ran out screaming. :1orglaugh

:1orglaugh that would be some shit to video tape. not amusing for the guests but great entertainment for the hosts!

you could intro with a background story before dinner, just casually mention "we've been having some rat problems in the neighborhood lately. i am talking big fucking rats too, and apparently they are not nice at all.
one ate my neighbors poodle right in front of her eyes, apparently they also go after people's ankles. a few people have been hobbled by these damn things. well let's eat shall we?"

I did that with 2 mice and it sort of ruined the evening :(

Man that's kind of scary.

Nearly as big as a Chihuahua??? I seen bigger Rats then that behind "FouFounes Electriques" Club on Ste-Catherine street in Montreal.

Agreed. That pussy lab rat has nothin' on a hardened NY sewer rat.

I can't say I would want a rat to diagnose any medical condition...gross!

now if they could only train a rat to find lost keys or the remote........

Lolololololol...

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

As a reward you could take him to the Rat Park on Sunday. :)

Very interesting read, but I'll pass on the rat lol.

omg, weird

WTF? Is that some sort of inner-ass dwelling creature or something? :eek7

WTF ???:helpme

Google 'mole rat'.


http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&source=imghp&q=mole+rat&gbv=2&aq=f&aq i=g1g-m9&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

looks like a seriously deformed dick with a mean bite :helpme

Crazy town! And poor penis mole.