Return of Bubonic Plague

Colorado Department of Public Health reported Friday that bubonic plague has been confirmed in a Chaffee County resident recently. The unidentified individual was hospitalized and has survived following antibiotic treatment. The family dog became ill with symptoms consistent with plague a few days prior to the onset of illness in the dog’s owner. The dog has recovered and test results from the dog are pending. The incubation period for the bubonic plague is 1-6 days.  The bacteria that cause plague, Yersinia pestis, maintain their existence in a cycle involving rodents and their fleas. Plague can cause the die-off of rodents and rabbits. When these animals die, fleas leave the carcass to find another host, thus spreading the disease. Most human plague cases result from the bites of infected fleas. Less commonly people are infected by direct contact with fluids or tissues from infected animals including pets.

http://www.delta-optimist.com/opinion/blogs/deltabc-1.983313/blog-return-of-bubonic-plague-1.2006219

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