A domestic cat in the Bayfield area has tested positive for plague, the San Juan Basin Health Department said Thursday.
No humans have been infected, the department said. Signs alerting the public to the case have been posted.
The county had no cases of feline plague in 2010 or 2012 and one case in 2011, said Bari Wagner, an epidemiologist at the health department.
John Pape, an epidemiologist at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said plague is cyclical.
“It cycles through,” he said. “It’s hot, then it’s quiet.”
Plague in the Four Corners is an extension of what is seen in New Mexico, Pape said.
“The area from Santa Fe into the Four Corners has the highest cat-plague activity in the United States.”
The Bayfield cat is the first to test positive in the state this year, Pape said. If it was an outdoor cat, it was at particular risk.
Plague, a bacterial disease characterized by fever and delirium, is endemic in the western United States, including Southwest Colorado. Domestic cats become infected through contact with rabbits and rodent fleas.
Cats can transmit plague to humans by bringing infected fleas into the house. Dogs are highly resistant but still can bring infected fleas indoors.
The health department recommends taking a sick cat to a veterinarian, but handle the animals with protective gloves. It also is wise not to entice rodents or squirrels, the department said.
Symptoms of plague in people include swollen lymph glands, sudden fever or chills, a severe headache, nausea and vomiting. The disease can be treated successfully if caught early.
Anyone who notices a sudden die-off of prairie dogs or other rodents, which can be a sign of plague, is asked to call health department at 335-2053 or 335-2028.
daler@durangoherald.com
