Plague confirmed

Johnson County cat infected; no human illness identified
Bri Brasher
NLJ Reporter
 
A Johnson County cat was inflected with plague, according to a news release from the Wyoming Department of Health, laboratory testing at the University of Wyoming and confirmation from the Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory in Laramie. The release states that the cat’s home is in Kaycee, and  the animal is known to wander outdoors. The WDH said no human cases of the illness have been identified.  
“This is the third plague-infected cat identified in Wyoming over the past six months; the others were in Sheridan and Campbell counties,” the release says. “Only six human cases of plague have been exposed in Wyoming since 1978 with the last one investigated in 2008. There is an average of seven human plague cases each year in the United States.” 
Lori Bickford, director of services at Weston County Public Health, discussed the local implications of a confirmed case of the plague in the state with the News Letter Journal. Bickford said the highest risk to Weston County is the prairie dog population, which she noted is a problem statewide. An increase in die-off of any animal increases the likelihood of the plague, and animals transmit the disease to one another through flees, according to Bickford. She warned that animals who roam freely are more susceptible and suggested that owners should be cautious in allowing those animals in the home, especially if the animals sleep in the owner’s bed. 
“Plague is a serious bacterial infection that can be deadly for pets and people if not treated as soon as possible with antibiotics,” said Dr. Alexia Harrist in the news release. Harrist is the state health officer and state epidemiologist with the Department of Health. 
“The disease can be passed to humans from ill animals and by fleas coming from infected animals. We are letting people know of the potential threat in the cat’s home area as well as across the state,” Harrist said. “While the disease is rare in humans, plague occurs naturally in the western United States in areas where rodents and their fleas become infected.”
Bickford reiterated that the bubonic plague is a serious inflection, and people can get seriously ill and even die if not treated. She said people will normally get sick two to six days after exposure. The bubonic plague can show up in animals in the form of septicemic plague and pneumonic plague, as it can in humans, according to Bickford.
The health department warns that all animals with plague symptoms should be taken to a veterinarian. Symptoms include enlarged lymph glands, swelling, fever, chills, lack of energy, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration. According to the department, plague symptoms in people are similar and “can include fever, swollen and tender lymph glands, extreme exhaustion, headache, chills, coughing, difficulty breathing, abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea.” People who are ill should seek professional medical attention.
“There is no need to worry about this, but it is a situation that should raise awareness that there are conditions that could cause the same thing to happen here,” said Bickford.
Both the WDH and Bickford provided precautionary measures to help prevent the spread of the plague. The health department’s release advises people to use insect repellent on boots and pants when in areas that might have fleas, use flea repellent on pets and properly dispose of rodents that pets may bring home. Additionally, the WDH suggests avoiding unnecessary exposure to rodents, staying away from rodent carcasses and evading areas with unexplained rodent die-offs. 
“Reduce the rodents that might be around your home or your workplace. Clean up the junk piles and stuff and any possible food supply. Watch outbuildings for rodent infestation,” Bickford suggested. “Hunters need to be careful that they are wearing gloves when handling animals, and bring repellent if you’re going to be in a situation where you’re camping, hiking or working outdoors.”
Bickford said there is no available plague vaccine, so the disease is treated with antibiotics. She said the sooner that symptoms can be treated by a physician, the better the odds for not allowing the disease to get more serious. 
For more information, the release recommends visiting the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at cdc.gov/plague/.
“Everybody just needs to realize that what happened in Johnson County can happen here,” Bickford cautioned.