 |
| © Getty plague-bacteria-dis8620x350.jpg |
From CBSNews
For the third time in recent months, a cat has tested positive for bubonic plague in Wyoming, the state's Department of Health reports. No human cases have been identified, but health officials warn the disease can be passed to people from infected animals.
The most recent case involved a cat in the small town of
Kaycee. Officials said the animal was known to wander outdoors. The
disease was confirmed by the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory in
Laramie.
This is the third plague-infected cat identified in
Wyoming over the past six months. The other infected animals were in
Sheridan and Campbell counties.
Cases of human plague are extremely rare, but do occur. On average, there are seven human plague cases in the United States each year. Wyoming health officials say the last known human case in that state was in 2008.
Plague is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, which is spread through the bite of fleas carried
by infected rodents. The disease occurs naturally in areas of the
western and southwestern United States, officials say.
"Plague is a
serious bacterial infection that can be deadly for pets and people if
not treated as soon as possible with antibiotics," Dr. Alexia Harrist,
state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Wyoming
Department of Health, said in a statement. "The disease can be passed to
humans from ill animals and by fleas coming from infected animals. We
are letting people know of the potential threat in the cat's home area
as well as across the state."
What are the symptoms of plague?
Symptoms
of the plague include fever, swollen and tender lymph glands, extreme
exhaustion, headache, chills, coughing, difficulty breathing, abdominal
pain, vomiting and diarrhea. The disease can be treated with antibiotics
if caught early.
The most common form of the disease, bubonic plague,
accounts for about 80 percent of cases in humans, according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Another form of the illness,
pneumonic plague, occurs when the bacteria infects the lungs.
The Wyoming Department of Health recommends the following precautions to help prevent plague infections:
Use insect repellent on
boots and pants when in areas that might have fleas.Use flea
repellent on pets and properly dispose of rodents pets may bring
home.Avoid unnecessary exposure to rodents and avoid contact with rodent carcasses.Avoid areas with unexplained rodent die-offs.
