Page 7 - IAV Digital Magazine #502

iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine
Squirrel Tests Positive For The Bubonic Plague In Colorado
By Jon Haworth, ABC News
Public health offi- cials have announced that a squirrel in Colorado has tested positive for the bubonic plague.
The town of Morrison, Colorado, in Jefferson County, which is just west of Denver, made the announce- ment saying that the squirrel is the first case of plague in the county this year.
"Plague is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, and can be contracted by
humans and household ani- mals if proper precautions are not taken," offi- cials from Jefferson County Public Health (JCPH) said in a statement released to the public.
It is possible for humans to be infected with the bubonic plague through bites from infected fleas and by direct contact with blood or tissues of infected ani- mals such as a cough or a bite.
Jefferson County Public Health said that cats are highly susceptible to the plague from things like
flea bites, a rodent scratch or bite, and ingest- ing an infected rodent. Cats can die if not treated quickly with antibiotics after contact with the plague.
Officials also said that dogs are not as susceptible to the plague as cats are but still may pick up and carry plague- infected rodent fleas. Any pet owner who sus- pects that their pet is ill should contact a veteri- narian immediate- ly.
"Symptoms of plague may include sudden onset of high fever, chills,
headache, nau- sea and extreme pain and swelling of lymph nodes, occurring within two to seven days after expo- sure. Plague can be effectively treated with antibiotics when diagnosed early. Anyone experi- encing these symptoms should consult a physi- cian," said JCPH.
Risk for contract- ing the bubonic plague is extremely low as long as the prop- er precautions are taken and JCPH published a list of them including eliminat- ing all sources of food, shelter and access for wild animals around the home, not feeding wild ani- mals, maintaining a litter and trash- free yard to reduce wild ani- mal habitats, hav- ing people and pets should avoid all contact with sick or dead wild animals and rodents, using precaution when handling sick pets
and having them examined by a veterinarian, con- sulting with a vet- erinarian about flea and tick con- trol for pets and keeping pets from roaming freely outside the home where they may prey on wild ani- mals and bring the disease home with them.
"All pet owners who live close to wild animal popu- lations, such as prairie dog colonies or other known wildlife habitats, should consult their vet- erinarian about flea control for their pets to help prevent the trans- fer of fleas to humans," JCPH said.
According to the CDC, even though there is no vaccine for the plague, it can be treated success- fully with antibi- otics if caught within 24 hours of exhibiting symp- toms.
"Arguably the most infamous
plague outbreak was the so-called Black Death, a multi-century pan- demic that swept through Asia and Europe," accord- ing to National Geographic. "It was believed to start in China in 1334, spreading along trade routes and reach- ing Europe via Sicilian ports in the late 1340s. The plague killed an estimated 25 million people, almost a third of the continent's population. The Black Death lin- gered on for cen- turies, particularly in cities. Outbreaks includ- ed the Great Plague of London (1665-66), in which 70,000 res- idents died."
However, the CDC says that there is now only an average of seven human plague cases per year and the WHO says the mortality rate is estimated to be between 8-10%.
iAV - Antelope Valley Digital Magazine