It is transmitted by flies that live off rodents and symptoms, which usually appear within one to seven days after infection, include painful, swollen lymph nodes, called bubos, in the body, armpits or neck areas, such as fever , fever and cough.
Plague affects humans and other mammals.
Cats, which themselves become ill, can infect humans directly, although harder dogs can usually bring the meat back to their owners. People can also get sick by ingesting drops from the cough of an infected person like an animal.
The bacterium persists because low levels circulate among populations of certain rodents, according to the CDC. These infected animals and their flies serve as long-term reservoirs for the bacteria.
Where can you get the plague?
Plague occurs naturally in rural areas of the western United States, particularly Arizona, California, Colorado, and New Mexico. That is where an average of seven human plague cases are reported to the CDC each year. But significantly more cases occur in parts of Africa and Asia.
“It sometimes spreads to humans when there is direct contact between infected animals like their meat and humans,” he said.
The last urban plague epidemic in the United States occurred in Los Angeles from 1924 to 1925, the CDC said.
How worried should I be?
“The risk of transmission to and explosive outbreaks among humans, as occurred in the Middle Ages and until the antibiotic era, is currently highly unlikely, as the bacteria-causing plague remains susceptible to antibiotic treatments,” Dryden told the SMC.
“It is important that we use antibiotics appropriately and sparingly to maintain the activity of these important drugs.”
More than 80% of FS cases have been the bubonic form, which is the most common form of infection. Untreated bubonic plague can turn into the more serious pneumonic plague, which causes rapidly developing pneumonia after bacteria spread to the lungs.
Is there a vaccine for the plague?
Since different vaccine designs lead to different mechanisms of immunity, the authors conclude that combinations of different species can overcome the limitations of individual vaccines and effectively prevent a potential plague outbreak.
How do you protect yourself and your family?
Important steps to prevent pestilence include eliminating rodent nests to clear your home, shelters, garages and recreation areas through brush, boulders, trash and too much firewood.
Report sick or dead animals to law enforcement or your local health officials; do not accept or accept them yourself. If you absolutely must have a sick or dead animal, you must wear gloves.
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