Please be careful around squirrels…
Check out Promed’s latest alert regarding squirrels in the USA.
As yet we have no reason to believe that our UK squirrels carry more than fleas and
Update 19.5.07 - UK squirrels have squirrel pox
PLAGUE, SQUIRREL - USA (COLORADO) (02)
***************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>
Date: 2 May 2007
Source: 9 news.com [edited]
<http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=69222>
The county’s Department of Health and Environment learned on
Wednesday [2 May 2007] that a dead squirrel found in the Littleton
area has tested positive for bubonic plague.
The squirrel came from a greenbelt bordered by Wadsworth Boulevard
and Chatfield Avenue. Warnings will be posted in the area, and
citizens will be urged to take simple precautions to prevent
exposure. Last week, plague was confirmed in squirrels found near
City Park in Denver.
Plague is a highly infectious bacterial disease transmitted mainly by
flea bites. “Squirrels, rodents, prairie dogs and other mammals, such
as rabbits and cats, are susceptible to plague because they get
fleas, and this is the beginning of the 2007 plague season,” says Dr.
Jim Dale, DVM, MPH, Director of Environmental Health Services.
The best way to prevent exposure to plague is to control rodents in
and around your home, avoid wild rodents, confine house pets so they
cannot prey on rodents and bring the plague home, and use flea
control products on your pets and around your home. Although
extremely rare, humans may be infected with plague through bites from
infected fleas, by the cough from an infected animal, or by direct
contact (i.e. through a bite) with blood or tissues of infected animals.
Plague is easily treated in humans with antibiotics when recognized early.
Two to 6 days after being infected with plague, people become ill
with the following symptoms: sudden onset of high fever; muscle pain;
malaise, or a general feeling of being ill; nausea and vomiting.
If a dead rabbit, squirrel, prairie dog or other rodent is found, do
not directly handle the animal. Use gloves and place in a plastic bag.
Citizens or visitors are urged to report dead squirrels, prairie
dogs, other rodents and rabbits by calling the CO-HELP hotline at
1-877-462-2911.
