KIEV, Aug. 20 – The health of imprisoned former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko deteriorated on Saturday amid speculation that her mysterious skin symptoms may have been caused by rat poison commonly used in Ukrainian prisons.

The poison is believed to have been added to paint that is put on walls inside prison cells and in some cases may be have a toxic effect or lead to an allergic reaction on humans.

“When they poison the rats, it may have effect on people. We don’t rule out that this is the poison,” Gazeta.ua reported citing Andriy Pavlovskiy, a Tymoshenko ally. “But this are only our speculation. We need a check-up.”

Tymoshenko, who does not eat prison food and relies on only food delivered by her relatives, developed mysterious skin symptoms on Wednesday and, without making the issue public, had requested Judge Rodion Kireyev allow her doctor to see her and take blood tests.

Kireyev ignored the request on Wednesday and Thursday prompting Tymoshenko’s party to make a public announcement on Thursday afternoon.

Kireyev quickly considered and refused to allow the doctor appointment, arguing that prison doctors or a team led by deputy healthcare minister would do the job.

Tymoshenko refused to be seen by the prison doctors and has insisted on seeing a doctor that she can trust.

Oleksandr Bryhynets, a Tymoshenko lawmaker in the Kiev city council, told Segodnia daily that Tymoshenko managed to speak with her doctor, but blood tests would be crucial in identifying the possible toxin.

Tymoshenko, the leading opposition figure, was arrested on August 5 on contempt of court charges. She is on trial for negotiating a controversial natural gas agreement with Russia in January 2009 that had dramatically increased gas price that Ukraine needs to pay.

Meanwhile, Tymoshenko’s health problems worsened on Saturday, Maryna Soroka, the spokeswoman of the former prime minister, said in a statement. She said Tymoshenko needed to see the doctor “within hours.”

“Yulia Tymoshenko insists to be seen by a doctor she can trust for the appointment and for blood tests,” Soroka said. “This is extremely important to understand what had caused the very strange symptoms.”

But the State Prison Administration responded on Saturday with a statement that Tymoshenko’s health was “satisfactory.” The administration said that she was under constant “dynamic supervision” by prison healthcare specialists.

The Tymoshenko trial is expected to resume on Monday at the Pecherskiy district court in Kiev. (tl/ez)