What to know in 2019

January 18, 2019 – The Wyoming Department of Health confirmed another case of plague in a cat, the third in six months in the state.

No human case of plague, spread by fleas, has been reported so far, but public health officials advise people to control fleas in their pets and immediately take animals that look sick.

"Most cats used to go out," said Karl Musgrave, DVM, veterinarian of public health.

They were probably exposed to fleas when they hunted rodents on the outside, he says. With an awareness of symptoms and prompt treatment, the disease is treatable in domestic animals and humans, he says.

"Cats have all lived," says Musgrave.

What is plague and what are the types?

Plague is a serious bacterial infection. It is caused by a germ, Yersinia pestis, which is spread by fleas and cycles naturally in wild rodents, says the CDC.

The most common form is bubonic. This usually happens after the sting of an infected flea.

If left untreated, bubonic plague may become of the type known as septicemic plague. This happens when the bacteria responsible for the plague multiply in the blood and spread throughout the body.

When the bacteria infect the lungs, it is called pneumonic plague.

How is the plague spread?

According to the CDC, plague often occurs after the death of a large number of infected rodents. Then, infected and hungry fleas look for the blood of other hosts, including people and pets.

People can contract the plague by being bitten by an infected flea, by touching infected animals or by inhaling droplets from the cough of an infected person or animal, the CDC says.

What are the symptoms?

The symptoms vary depending on the type. For bubonic, symptoms in humans include swollen and painful lymph nodes, usually in the groin, armpit or neck. Infected persons may have fever, extreme tiredness, chills and headaches. The disease usually occurs 1 to 6 days after the infection.

The symptoms of septicemic plague include high fever, abdominal pain, exhaustion and dizziness.

Symptoms of pneumonic plague include high fever, cough, chills, breathing problems and bloody mucus. This form is almost always fatal if not treated quickly, says the CDC. And it can be hard to tell the difference between this and pneumonia, experts say.

In infected cats, there is often swelling below the line of the jaw, says Musgrave. Often cat owners will tell the vet that they are worried about a big lump around the animal's jaw, he says. Lack of appetite in cats is another potential warning sign, he says.

Dogs are a little more resistant to the plague, he says, but can get it. "They will stop eating and may have fever and shortness of breath," he says.

How common is the plague?

The plague has existed since at least 6^th century, but the first time in the United States in 1900.

Since 2000, about seven cases of human plague have been reported each year, says the CDC.

Plague is common in animals, especially in the western part of the United States, says Amesh Adalja, MD, senior researcher at the Center for Health Security at Johns Hopkins University.

"We know that the western part of the United States has a population of rodents very infected by the plague," he says. "Cats are well known for contracting plague with rodents they come in contact with."

How is it treated?

The typical treatment is to administer antibiotics intravenously in a hospital for 7 to 10 days, according to Adalja, depending on the severity of the disease.

With the introduction of antibiotics, the death rate in the United States has dropped to about 11%, says the CDC, citing statistics from 1990 to 2010. Prompt treatment reduces the risk of death.

"Exposed people can also be treated," said Adalja, also a spokeswoman for the company's Infectious Diseases Society of America. "If you have been exposed to plague, in close contact with pneumonic plague or taking care of an animal that is carrying it, and [say] a flea jumps, you could be a candidate for post-exposure antibiotics, "he says.

What is the best way to prevent it?

To prevent plague, the CDC recommends protecting pets:

• Regularly treat dogs and cats for fleas
• Keep pet food in containers in which rodents can not penetrate
• Take the sick animals quickly to the vet
• Do not leave pets in areas with a high population of rodents, such as prairie dog colonies

Other measures:

• Remove firewood, garbage and other nesting areas near your home.
• Do not pick up or touch dead animals; Wear gloves if you need to handle them.
• Report sick or dead animals to your public health department.
• Prevent flea bites by using insect repellents containing DEET.
• Do not let your pets sleep with you; In doing so, you run the risk of contracting the plague.

Keeping the risks in perspective – and knowing the importance of prompt treatment and protection against fleas for pets – is essential, says Kim Deti, head of information for the Wyoming Department of Health.

"It's not the Middle Ages," she says. "The plague is a treatable disease."