[ad_1]
Keeping wildcats and opossums out of the yard is the key to stopping a significant increase in cases of typhus, health officials said. Images: Wildcat, courtesy of Pasadena Humane Society. Left, image of X Cheopis carrier chip, courtesy of Centers for Disease Control
Urban wildlife is causing the spread of typhus to the reported outbreak in Pasadena, and keeping wildcats and opossums away from the yard is immune to the disease, said health officials.
At least 20 people in Pasadena contracted typhus this year, said Pasadena Acting spokeswoman Lisa Derderian.
"Which is well above expectations, at one to five cases a year," she said. "This is a significant increase and a concern. That's why we want people to get the information right away, just to take a few simple precautions to avoid spreading, to avoid getting it.
Most people who contract the bacterial infection recover, but some cases can be serious, according to US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Without medical intervention, severe cases can lead to organic lesions.
Downtown Los Angeles has also seen an increase in the disease this year. Although there is no vaccine to prevent typhus, it is treatable.
"Some of the symptoms can mimic other things," Derderian said. "So if you have high fever, chills, headaches, rashes, make sure to see a doctor right away because it can be treated with antibiotics. But people may also think they may have the flu or other things, so do not wait.
The disease is spread mainly by fleas that feed on animals and humans. And while many wildlife species may carry the bacteria that cause typhus, wildcats and opossums are particularly prone to harboring infected fleas, said the district mosquito and vector control district spokesman. San Gabriel Valley, Levi Sun.
"It's hard to determine exactly why we can get this increase, but it's probably because we may be seeing more wildcats, possums and other wild animals," she said. he declared.
Typhus is endemic, which means it is almost always present in urban environments in southern California, according to Sun. "It's just occasionally that cases of typhus are transferred from fleas to the human population."
"It has always been here, much like West Nile virus. It's in the background and we do not always talk about it a lot, "he said. "In fact, most people do not realize that bubonic plague is still in California, but it's a minimal level for which we do not consider it a problem anymore."
Leaving food for wild cats or other wild animals can help draw disease-causing fleas near people, the authorities warned.
"Do not provide food or water," Derderian said. "Many people are sorry for stray animals, but it just catches infected fleas and could spread this disease."
Domestic animals need to be treated for fleas and it is important to clear debris from building sites that could be hiding places for animals, the authorities said.
"Once you remove the secure port for these animals, you create the barrier between wildlife and humans," Sun said.
Pasadena Public Health Department Director Michael Johnson said officials were gathering all the information.
"For each case, we establish a complete history of the patient and evaluate the risks or current exposures," he explained.
"We know that typhus is natural in Pasadena. We are monitoring hot spots or clusters of cases and looking for high-risk areas such as neglected orchards, especially homes where people are feeding pets or wild animals in their backyard, "Johnson said.
"We will also target high-risk areas with shippers and information material to inform them of their risks," he added.
Unlike stray dogs, officials do not gather cats roaming the streets, said Pasadena Humane Society Senior Vice President / SPCA Elizabeth Richer Campo.
"There is a legal definition of the stray dog. With cats, there is no real definition of the stray cat. A cat has the right to walk around the community. We do not know who owns or not, she said.
Although the Humane Society notes that people feed on wild colonies, Campos said. Officials explain that typhus is a threat and that if they can not be deterred from feeding the animals, they can add an additive for flea treatment to the food.
"We always tell people not to feed wildlife. They are perfectly equipped to find their food in our environment and humans do not need to intervene in this regard, "she said.
[ad_2]
Source link
