Fleas Test Positive for Plague in Boulder County
May 14, 2007, Boulder, CO - A sample of fleas
collected by Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) on Tuesday,
May 8, from prairie dog colonies located near 63rd Street
and the Diagonal Highway (CO 119) have tested positive for
plague. The area, near the base of the Boulder Reservoir dam
and adjacent to the City of Boulder Water Treatment Plant,
has been posted with signs, and some prairie dog burrows
will be dusted with a pesticide to reduce the likelihood of
plague exposure from fleas.
Plague is a blood-borne disease and poses no threat to
nearby aquatic life or water resources.
"While the current location of affected prairie dog
colonies does not warrant the closure of city property at
this time, we urge all visitors to Coot Lake, Tom Watson
Park, and the Boulder Reservoir dam to keep pets on leashes
and out of prairie dog areas," said Jan Geden, city director
of Parks and Recreation. "Our city staff will continue
monitoring adjacent prairie dog colonies and take necessary
steps to inform and protect the public, should the disease
spread to other areas."
Plague activity has been identified in Colorado already
this season, and public health officials want residents to
be aware of how to protect themselves against plague.
"Plague occurs naturally in Colorado, and we want people to
understand what steps are necessary to protect themselves,
their family members, and their pets," said Nisha Alden, an
epidemiologist for BCPH. "Because plague is most commonly
transmitted by fleas, taking steps to avoid flea exposures
will be most helpful in preventing this disease," said
Alden.
Public health officials recommend the following
precautions to reduce the likelihood of being exposed to
plague:
- AVOID FLEAS! Protect pets with flea powder, and keep
pets on a leash and out of wild rodent habitats.
- STAY OUT of areas that wild rodents inhabit. If you
enter areas with wild rodents, wear insect repellent and
tuck pants cuffs into socks to prevent fleabites.
- AVOID all contact with wild rodents, including
squirrels; do not feed or handle them.
- DO NOT TOUCH sick or dead animals.
- PREVENT rodent infestations around your house: clear
plants and materials away from outside walls, reduce
access to food items, and set traps.
- TREAT known rodent sites around your home with flea
powder or a suitable insecticide.
Plague is an infectious disease spread by fleas to wild
rodents and other small mammals, such as squirrels, rats,
prairie dogs, and rabbits. Bubonic plague is the most common
form of plague and occurs after receiving a bite from an
infected flea. Plague can spread to humans when infected
fleas from squirrels, prairie dogs, and other wild rodents
bite humans.
Household pets, such as dogs and especially cats, can
either get plague or carry infected fleas home to their
owners. In rare instances plague can be transmitted to
people from cats sick with plague. "Keeping cats indoors is
the best way to protect them from getting plague," said Joe
Malinowski, BCPH Consumer Protection Coordinator. "In
addition, pet owners should discuss with their veterinarians
the best way to protect pets from contracting fleas."
Symptoms of plague include high fever, extreme fatigue,
and painful swollen lymph nodes (called bubos). If you
observe these symptoms in a person or pet, it is important
that you contact your healthcare provider or veterinarian
immediately. Plague can be treated with antibiotics, but
this treatment is most successful when the disease is
diagnosed quickly.
For more information about plague, please visit the BCPH
web site at:
www.BoulderCountyHealth.org, or call the Health Alert
Hotline at 303-441-1460.
For more Boulder County information:
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