Idaho Man Required Open Heart Surgery After Being Bitten By Rat

A north Idaho man is recovering from open heart surgery after he was bitten by a rat while working at a breeding facility. A GoFundMe account has been set up to help him cover the more than $500,000 in medical bills that have incurred.

Eric Lundholm, a 28-year-old Post Falls man, sustained a rodent bite earlier this summer while visiting family on vacation, according to details shared by idahonews.com. Lundholm began experiencing unusual symptoms back in July, and sought medical care. The symptoms gradually became worse, starting with chills and a fever, and elevating to pain and cardiac issues.

Following several trips to the emergency room and a gamut of tests, Lundholm's health became dire. The 28-year-old was bitten while working on a farm that raises rodents to earn some money after moving back home from Hawaii. Lundholm was without medical insurance at the time he sustained the bite.

Rat bites can result in a number of different health complications, including Hantavirus, Hemmorhagic Fever and Leptospirosis. The bite apparently resulted in infection, which allowed bacteria to find its way into Lundholm's heart. The bacteria also caused a hole to form in his heart, along with major valve damage.

The GoFundMe account for Eric Lundholm was created by John Lundholm, and has raised close to $2,000 presently. Eric is recovering at home, but requires daily trips to the hospital for treatment, according to the fundraising site.

There is no information on if the breeding farm where Eric was bitten at is assisting the family in any way.