Deschutes County studies human plague case linked to contaminated pet cat
by KATU Staff
Central Oregon – Cline Butte – Alert Wildfire
BEND, Ore. (KATU) —
Deschutes County confirms a case of human plague in a neighborhood Central Oregon resident. Officials say the person was seemingly contaminated by their symptomatic pet cat.
“All close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and provided medication to prevent illness,” stated Dr. Richard Fawcett, Deschutes County Health Officer.
Officials say signs of plague often begin in people two to eight days after publicity to an contaminated animal or flea.
Symptoms could embody a sudden onset of fever, nausea, weak spot, chills, muscle aches, and or visibly swollen lymph nodes referred to as buboes.
The final case reported in Oregon got here in 2015. Plague spreads to people or animals via a chew from an contaminated flea or by contact with an animal sick with the illness.
The most typical animals to hold plague in Central Oregon are squirrels and chipmunks, however mice and different rodents may also carry to illness, officers stated.
The Deschutes County Health Services has offered the next tricks to stop the unfold of plague:
- Avoid all contact with rodents and their fleas. Never contact sick, injured, or useless rodents.
- Keep pets on a leash when outside and defend them with flea management merchandise. Do not permit pets to strategy sick or useless rodents or discover rodent burrows.
- Pet cats are extremely prone to plague, and contaminated cats can transmit the bacterium to people. If attainable, discourage their searching of rodents. Consult a veterinarian instantly in case your cat turns into sick after being involved with rodents.
- Residents ought to hold wild rodents out of properties and take away meals, woodpiles, and different attractants for rodents round properties and outbuildings.
- Do not camp, sleep, or relaxation close to animal burrows or areas the place useless rodents are noticed.
- Refrain from feeding squirrels, chipmunks, or different wild rodents in campgrounds and picnic areas. Store meals and refuse in rodent-proof containers.
- Wear lengthy pants tucked into boot tops to scale back publicity to fleas. Apply insect repellent to socks and trouser cuffs to assist cut back publicity to fleas.
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