Rat-borne diseases cause crisis in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina

In the heart of Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Year of the Rat has returned—not in the astrological sense, but in a far more literal and unsettling way.

Social media is awash with videos and photos showing rats swimming brazenly through the Miljacka River, which runs through the city’s center. Residents, long accustomed to the city’s underperforming public services, are now raising the alarm over what many see as a full-blown sanitation crisis.

Images posted online show overflowing garbage containers, piles of illegally dumped waste, and even dead animals left to rot in public areas, including children’s playgrounds. These conditions have created an ideal breeding ground for rats—and a growing health hazard for the human population.

Health experts are sounding the alarm over a spike in rat-borne illnesses. The most concerning is leptospirosis, often referred to as “rat fever,” a bacterial infection that spreads through water or soil contaminated with the urine or feces of infected rodents. In just a single 24-hour period this week, Sarajevo’s University Clinical Centre—the country’s largest hospital—reported a dozen new cases. That figure adds to a steady increase in cases over recent weeks.

Leptospirosis symptoms range from mild—such as headaches, fever, and muscle pain—to severe complications, including pulmonary hemorrhage, liver damage, and kidney failure. In its most dangerous form, known as Weil’s disease, it can be fatal if left untreated. Fortunately, none of the current cases have reached that stage, but health authorities warn that the situation could deteriorate if swift action isn’t taken.

Sarajevo’s local government has declared an epidemic, triggering emergency measures aimed at curbing the crisis. Municipal workers have been deployed to disinfect public areas, and extra garbage collection rounds are now underway. Schools have been ordered to sanitize playgrounds, mow overgrown grass, and inspect basements for rodent infestations.

This sudden burst of activity contrasts sharply with the inaction of recent years. For the past two years, no formal pest control efforts were undertaken in Sarajevo, with city officials blaming a failed tender process for the gap in services. That lapse has not only encouraged an explosion in the rat population, but also allowed other problems—like the proliferation of stray dogs—to go unchecked.

Sarajevo Canton Health Minister Enis Hasanović characterized the issue not strictly as a health emergency, but a “communal crisis,” pointing to chronic failures in basic municipal hygiene services.

Others are less optimistic. Dr. Sebija Izetbegović, former director of the University Clinical Centre and now a member of the Sarajevo Canton Assembly, has warned that the public health risks could escalate. “Well-fed rats are everywhere,” she said, adding that the next danger could be hantavirus—a rare but deadly disease also spread by rodents.

So far, Sarajevo has been lucky. Despite the disturbing rise in leptospirosis cases, no fatalities have occurred. But unless sustained efforts are made to clean up the city and restore basic sanitation services, residents fear this “Year of the Rat” may extend far beyond 2025.

– Deeprows News