Jefferson County, Colorado: Domestic Cat infected with Bubonic Plague

[Ian David]

Jefferson County-Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) announced today that a domestic cat in the Conifer area has tested positive for plague. It is not uncommon for cats to become infected with plague in an environment where plague is circulating. The cat is now under the care of a veterinarian. Dr. Jim Dale, DVM, Environmental Health Services Director said, "This is plague season in Colorado and everyone is reminded of the importance of keeping their pets from roaming free and using appropriate flea control products to minimize the risk of plague." Plague is a bacterium that is maintained in various species of rodents and rabbits and is transmitted by fleas. When an infected rodent becomes sick and dies, its fleas can carry the infection to other warm-blooded animals, including humans. People also can be exposed through direct contact with infected rodents, rabbits and cats. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, in 2006 there were four confirmed human cases of plague in Colorado, all of them received treatment and recovered. Public Health officials remind citizens to take the following precautions to protect their animals and their families from plague:

• Do not feed squirrels or other rodents. This brings them onto your property and in close contact with each other increasing the risk of disease transmission.
• Rodent-proof your houses and outbuildings.
• Don't let dogs or cats catch or eat squirrels.
• Do not allow pets to roam freely, and keep them treated for fleas according to a veterinarian's advice.
• Be aware of rodent and rabbit populations in your area and report sudden die-offs or multiple dead animals.
• Contact your physician if you develop a high fever or other plague symptoms following a fleabite or direct contact with dead rodents or rabbits.

Additional information on plague can be found on the department's Web site: http://health.jeffco.us or the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment at: http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/dc/Zoonosis/plague/index.html

More:
http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/woalert_read.php?lang=eng&cid=11951


Citizens are reminded to contact CO-HELP at 1-877-462-2911 to report a dead rodent or rabbit. For further information, please call Jefferson County Department of Health and Environment Zoonosis Program at 303-271-5775.)

[hlthe2b]

1. Why is this posted in National Security?

Plague is epizootic in much of Colorado, the SW and focal areas of the West. Plague infested fleas kill off prairie dogs every year and it is not rare that a cat will become infected. Plague infected tree squirrels unfortunately came in contact with some animals in the Denver zoo and killed a couple--all within the central city limits of Denver.

Routine public health notices such as this media release accompany these occurrences to remind the public and health providers to protect themselves and that it is still out there.


Much as Bush* tries to exploit bioterrorism to keep the sheeple "skared," naturally-occurring plague is NOT uncommon in the western US.

[Warpy]

2. Western states are endemic plague states

and there are cases of domestic animal plague here in NM every year, plus rare cases of human plague from infected domestic animals.

The main vector from rodent to human is the cat. Dumb people let their cats roam, which is doubly stupid since there are coyotes out there as well as plague carrying rodents. Dogs have also been infected, but we don't hear about them quite as often.

Plague is easily treated with antibiotics if it's caught early on.