An average of seven cases of plague are reported each year in the United States. according to Most cases have been in the West, particularly northern New Mexico and Arizona, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In February, a case of human plague was confirmed in rural Oregon. Health officials said the patient, who has not been named, was likely infected by a sick pet cat. The case was identified and treated early and “posed little risk to the community.”
What is the plague and how does it spread?
The plague is scientifically Plague bacteria. that It is transmitted by fleas and circulates naturally among wild rodents.
Bubonic plague, the most common form, is characterized by painful swollen lymph nodes, or “buboes.” The bacteria grows in lymph nodes close to where it entered the body through a flea bite and can spread to the bloodstream if left untreated.
Other symptoms include sudden fever or chills, severe headache, muscle pain, nausea and vomiting. according to Report the illness to the Colorado Department of Health. Symptoms usually develop after an incubation period of one to seven days. WHO To tell.
Plague is naturally occurring and can be transmitted to humans and pets. People can catch the plague through the bite of an infected flea, touching an infected animal, or breathing in droplets from an infected person or animal’s cough. “We encourage everyone to protect themselves and their pets from the plague,” the Colorado Department of Health said in a statement.
What is the treatment for plague?
“Plague can be successfully treated with antibiotics, but infected individuals must be treated promptly to avoid severe complications and death,” said Alicia Solis, program manager for the Pueblo Public Health Department.
Plague is a serious disease in humans that can be fatal if left untreated. According to the CDC, “all forms of plague can progress rapidly and be fatal if people with plague are not given specialized antibiotic therapy.”
Typically, patients have blood, sputum and pus samples taken from the bubo. If plague is diagnosed, the usual treatment is antibiotics and the patient is placed in medical isolation. “Early diagnosis and early treatment can save lives.” according to To WHO.
There is no publicly available vaccine for the plague, and improved hygiene, living conditions and health care have helped reduce the disease.
Bubonic plague killed tens of millions of people in Europe in the 14th century and was called the Black Death. Several cases occur each year in the United States and around the world. The disease is now much rarer and much more likely to be treatable with antibiotics.
According to the CDC, between 1900 and 2012, there were 1,006 confirmed or suspected cases of plague in the United States. Bubonic plague accounts for more than 80% of plague cases in the United States.
According to the CDC, plague can occur in rural and semi-rural areas of the western United States, “occurring primarily in semi-arid, high-elevation forests and grasslands and may involve many rodent species. Many types of animals can be affected by plague, including rock squirrels, wood mice, ground squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, mice, voles, and rabbits.”
The last urban outbreak of rat-borne plague in the United States occurred in Los Angeles in 1924-1925, according to the CDC. Said.
Since the 1990s, most cases of plague around the world have occurred in Africa, with the three most endemic countries being the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and Peru, according to the WHO.
According to the Pueblo County Public Health Department: DepartmentThere are several ways to prevent catching or spreading the plague:
- Eliminate places where rodents can hide and breed around your home, garage, sheds and recreation areas.
- Avoid contact with dead animals.
- Treat your dogs and cats for fleas regularly. Flea collars have not been proven to be effective.
- Do not allow your pet to hunt or roam in areas where rodents are present, such as prairie dog colonies.
- Store pet food in rodent-proof containers.
- If you experience symptoms of plague, see a medical professional immediately.
