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Plague in Wyoming Cats
The message below is from the PROMed mailing list, a joint publication
of the International Society for Infectious Diseases and the (US) Centers for Disease Control. While it often contains news articles, the screening and commentary is done by distinguished infectious disease experts. To summarize, plague, the disease caused by the organism Yersinia pestis, is endemic to parts of the US, although I've never seen a report this far north. Plague ("bubonic plague" is only one of the way it presents) was probably the "black death" of the middle ages. It is worth knowing, however, that it is usually curable in both humans and cats. LAGUE, FELINE - USA (WYOMING): ALERT ************************** A ProMED-mail post http://www.promedmail.org ProMED-mail, a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases http://www.isid.org Sponsored in part by Elsevier, publisher of The International Journal of Infectious Diseases http://tinyurl.com/bj3md Date: 9 Jul 2005 From: ProMED-mail Source: Associated Press Writer [edited] http://www.palmbeachpost.com/health/...ealth_Medical/ Cat_Plague.html Plague-Infected Cats Cause Worry in Wyoming - -------------------- A local cat was diagnosed with plague Friday -- the 4th in southern Wyoming this year -- and public health officials warned that people should take precautions to protect their pets and themselves. Gus Lopez, director of the Cheyenne-Laramie County Health Department, said the latest case occurred west of the city, in the same general area where 2 other cats contracted the disease. A 4th cat, in neighboring Albany County, also was diagnosed with plague. "Getting 4 of them in southern Wyoming in a short period of time is unusual," said Ken Gage of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Fort Collins, Colorado. "It's not cause for panic, or anything, but it is cause for some concern." In many parts of the West, plague is endemic in the fleas infesting rodent populations. The disease can jump to other animals, including humans, if they come into contact with infected fleas. Researchers speculate that the infected cats probably caught or ate infected rodents. Human cases remain extremely rare. A southwest Colorado woman who caught plague from infected fleas is the region's only human case this year. Wyoming has had just 5 human cases since 1978. But state health officials also point out that they hadn't recorded any feline cases in more than 20 years. "I think this is just going to be the tip of the iceberg," Lopez said. "And what really concerns me is these cases with cats right now really increase the risk of human exposure." That's because handling infected animals is much riskier than simply being exposed to infected fleas. In the 5 recorded human cases since 1978 in Wyoming, each had handled an infected animal, Gage said. An infected cat might bring infected fleas into a home; it might also infect people by biting, scratching or coughing. "That's very, very dangerous, because the disease progresses very rapidly in that situation," Gage said. Dr. Tracy Murphy, Wyoming's state epidemiologist, said rodent populations appeared to be up in Wyoming and much of the West this year, in part because of increased rain and snow during winter and spring. As rodent populations increase, so does the chance that rodents will infect each other, spreading plague. Health officials are warning people to avoid contact with rodents or with any sick or dead animals. If such contact is unavoidable, people should wear gloves and insect repellant. Pets or people showing plague symptoms -- swollen glands, fever, chills, pain and extreme exhaustion -- should get immediate medical attention. [Byline: Dan Lewerenz] - -- ProMED-mail [Plague is caused by _Yersinia pestis_ and transmitted most often by flea bites. When sylvatic outbreaks occur in rodent populations, domestic cats can be infected by fleas on the rodents or by direct contact with infected rodent tissues -- as they chomp on squirrels or other rodents. The incubation period in cats may be short, a day or 2, and marked by a fever of up to 41.5 C and lymphadenopathy. Typical buboes often occur in the head and neck, and can be mistaken for cat fight abscesses. Dogs are considered to be less susceptible. Bubonic plague, one form of the disease, is of zoonotic concern, as individuals may contract disease from either infected fleas or contact with purulent discharges or blood from the cat. An even greater threat occurs when the disease in cats progresses to pneumonic plague. This has been documented in cats, including transmission to veterinarians and owners. Antibiotic treatment is effective in cats, but the threat of plague is only one of many reasons that people should keep their pets free of fleas. There are many good flea control products and methods of eliminating fleas from the animal as well as the yard. If an animal owner is having trouble with fleas, a visit to the veterinarian may be in order. If an animal has a swelling, extra caution should be taken by the animal owner as well as the veterinarian. The swellings may rupture and expose the owner and/or the veterinarian to the plague agent. The disease is treatable with antibiotics, so a trip to the veterinarian may be in order. - Mod.TG] |
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