Well being officers in Oregon have confirmed a case of the bubonic plague within the state.
It’s believed that the contaminated particular person contracted the plague by means of their contaminated and symptomatic cat.
“All shut contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and supplied remedy to stop sickness,” stated Dr. Richard Fawcett, Deschutes County Well being Officer, in a press launch.
Deschutes County defined that signs of the plague usually start in people “two to eight days after publicity to an contaminated animal or flea.”
Signs could embody a sudden onset of fever, nausea, weak spot, chills, muscle aches, and/or visibly swollen lymph nodes.
“If not recognized early, bubonic plague can progress to septicemic plague (bloodstream an infection) and/or pneumonic plague (lung an infection),” the county defined. “These types of plague are extra extreme and troublesome to deal with. Happily, this case was recognized and handled within the earlier levels of the illness, posing little danger to the neighborhood. No extra instances of plague have emerged through the communicable illness investigation.”
The final case of the plague was reported in Oregon in 2015.
The county additionally supplied the following advice to keep away from turning into contaminated:
- Keep away from all contact with rodents and their fleas. By no means contact sick, injured, or lifeless rodents.
- Maintain pets on a leash when outdoor and shield them with flea management merchandise. Don’t permit pets to strategy sick or lifeless rodents or discover rodent burrows.
- Pet cats are extremely inclined to plague, and contaminated cats can transmit the bacterium to people. If potential, discourage their searching of rodents. Seek the advice of a veterinarian instantly in case your cat turns into sick after being involved with rodents.
- Residents ought to preserve wild rodents out of properties and take away meals, woodpiles, and different attractants for rodents round properties and outbuildings.
- Don’t camp, sleep, or relaxation close to animal burrows or areas the place lifeless rodents are noticed.
- Chorus from feeding squirrels, chipmunks, or different wild rodents in campgrounds and picnic areas. Retailer meals and refuse in rodent-proof containers.
- Put on lengthy pants tucked into boot tops to cut back publicity to fleas. Apply insect repellent to socks and trouser cuffs to assist cut back publicity to fleas.
