Plague found in Arizona fleas

[MeaganM]

This is disturbing! "Don't worry unless you leave the valley?" "80% of plague is found in Arizona?" I live here and haven't heard of one case. Why the secret until now? And why ave they not tested M patients for these plagues running rampant?

Plague Found in High Country Fleas -- No Need to Freak Out, Health Officials Say - Phoenix News - Valley Fever

Plague Found in High Country Fleas -- No Need to Freak Out, Health Officials Say
By James King, Tue., May 17 2011 @ 3:23PM


Just in case the Coconino County tourism bureau was looking for a new slogan.
​If you're like us, you probably thought plague was the last thing you'd have to worry about while living in a relatively clean, industrialized country -- and it still is, despite the discovery of the rare disease in fleas in a remote section of Coconino County.

Coconino County health officials announced today that plague-infected fleas were collected from prairie- dog burrows around Doney Park northeast of Flagstaff. The burrows were monitored because many of the prairie dogs were dying off.

Naturally, we freaked out -- but according to Craig Levy, an epidemiologist with the Arizona Department of Health Services, plague is not that uncommon in Arizona. However, he says, Valley residents don't have to worry about it spreading to our neck of the state.

"This is something that happens from time to time," Levy tells New Times. "This is not abnormal."

Levy says the Southwest is home to about 80 percent of reported plague cases in the United States, with New Mexico reporting the most cases of annually.

Since 1950, Levy says, there has typically been about one case a year popping up in Arizona, although it's become less common in recent years.

Plague is carried by rodents and rabbits, and sometimes by animals that feed on them. It can be transmitted to humans and other animals by the bite of an infected flea, or by direct contact with an infected animal.

Levy says plague typically is a "higher-elevation problem" as it requires cool temperatures to survive. So, if you live in the Valley -- unless you venture to a remote section of Coconino County and have an encounter with an infected flea -- there's almost no chance of catching the disease.

Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, weakness, muscle pain, and swollen lymph glands.

[jonsi]

MeaganM,

I'm not surprised! I live next door to you in New Mexico and we have plague cases all over the northern part of our state! I don't know anyone personally who has been affected. But I had a good friend die from the Hantavirus! RIP Tom.

Don't worry. Don't go in remote areas. It won't sneak into your house. Don't go into abandoned buildings. If you are cleaning out your summer cabin for the first time (for the season) wear a mask.

Don't touch dead rodents if you go hiking. If you have dogs then keep them on a leash.

At least the govt & MD's recognize the plague & Hantavirus! Us "Morgies" are left alone as what we have is too minute to be recognized under a microscope.

Thanks for the heads up MM,

itwl,
~jonsi

[jonsi]

oops, posted #2 twice...
~jonsi

[JimDoe]

i read years in discovery mag. that armadillos carry leprosy

[MeaganM]

It just disturbs me that they are finding fleas in AZ that carry the plague, bed bugs in Canada that carry parasites, animals and fish dieing everywhere and the medical community cannot accept that humans can have parasites and actually call them delusional. If these common household bugs carry these things than how difficult is it to imagine that we could have picked up some weird thing from them?

[sojii]

Everything living creature has parasites that live in normal symbiosis with it. Even parasites have parasites. We used to say roaches would inherit the earth because they can adapt and survive a nuclear holocaust and an ice age. Maybe, but their parasites will be right with them.

Armadillos carry leprosy? Human leprosy? There are different kinds and only one infects humans. However, I think I'll lay off the road kill just in case. Us Texans do like our barbeque'd armadillos. However we can get them.

Ok, that was gross. I apologize. It's been a rough day.

[jonsi]

Yes! Armadillos can spread leprosy. I read an article a few weeks ago and Jack Hanna said so on "The Talk" last week.

Later alligators!

Itwl,
~jonsi

[sojii]

This is a somewhat entertaining article about armadillos and leprosy, the liklihood of it spreading to humans and why it probably won't.

Do Armadillos Carry Leprosy?

[JimDoe]

here,s some that say they do.

Armadillos linked to leprosy in humans - CNN.com

Eating armadillos blamed for leprosy - Health - Infectious diseases - msnbc.com

Armadillos pass leprosy to people in the Southern United States, study shows - Los Angeles Times

Armadillos Can Transfer Leprosy To Humans

[janedoe]

Originally Posted by MeaganM

It just disturbs me that they are finding fleas in AZ that carry the plague, bed bugs in Canada that carry parasites, animals and fish dieing everywhere and the medical community cannot accept that humans can have parasites and actually call them delusional. If these common household bugs carry these things than how difficult is it to imagine that we could have picked up some weird thing from them?

thank you!! is what im saying