Boulder County Public Health Communications Office 303-441-1457Fleas Test Positive for Plague in Boulder County
Boulder, Colo.—A sample of fleas collected by
Boulder County Public Health (BCPH) on Friday, March 28 from
prairie dog colonies located west of the intersection of
Spine Road and White Rock Circle have tested positive for
plague. The surrounding area has been posted with signs, and
pesticide will be applied into the prairie dog burrows to
reduce the likelihood of plague exposure from fleas.
Plague occurs naturally in Colorado and, as Front Range
communities expand into rural areas, particularly in the
foothills, residents and their pets are in closer proximity
to rodent populations. Plague is most commonly found in
pinon-juniper habitat and ponderosa pine habitat which
usually occur at elevations of 5,500 to 8,000 feet -
consistent with the foothills along the Front Range.
This is the first time plague activity has been
identified in Colorado this season and public health
officials want to remind residents of how to protect
themselves against plague. “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.”
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 flea bites.
- 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 a bite from an infected
flea. Plague can spread to humans when infected fleas from
squirrels, prairie dogs, and other wild rodents bite a
human.
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
Carol McInnes, BCPH Environmental Health specialist. “In
addition, pet owners should discuss with their veterinarians
the best way to protect pets from fleas.”
Symptoms 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 to contact your
healthcare provider or veterinarian immediately. Plague can
be treated with antibiotics, but this treatment is most
successful when the disease can be 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.
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