Zoonotic diseases in squirrels

[Diggie's Friend]

Bubonic Plague in squirrels: A wildlife disease found in the Western States


What is the disease known as Bubonic Plague?

"Bubonic" Plague is a disease caused by a bacterium, Yersinia pestis, that can be transmitted to humans via rodents and their fleas.”

This virus came originally from Asia, having spread to Europe, and then to the Americas via the rat. This is the same disease that was responsible for “Black Death” in Europe in Medieval times. Now days the incidence of humans contracting this disease is low; not since the 20’s has there been a major outbreak in California.

https://www.cdc.gov/plague/faq/index.html

Where have the outbreaks of this disease taken place in recent history?

Assumed to be eradicated from the Eastern US.with no reported outbreaks of the disease in animals or humans in recent history, Bubonic Plague is presently limited to the Western US, primarily found in the Rocky mountain region to the Pacific coast.

(see map for full range of this disease)

https://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps/index.html

“Plague is widespread in much of California, including in the Sierra Nevada mountains and foothills.”

“In 2014, evidence of plague was detected in animals in El Dorado, Mariposa, Modoc, Plumas, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Sierra counties. Animal infected with the disease usually are found in the foothills, mountains and sometimes along the coast of California.”

“The squirrels (ground squirrels) were found at Cedar Grove Campground and Doane Valley Campground.”

What animals have been affected by this disease?

In NM, AZ, CO: rock squirrels, voles, rabbits, coyotes, are among the animals found to be infected with this disease. Interestingly, it is noted that birds were found to be the chief vector species of the region. Not all mammals that carry this disease die from contracting it. Squirrels imparticular are among the amimals for which this disease save it is treated is lethal.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-hospital.html

In California:

The California Ground squirrel, akaSpermophilus beechyi), is the key vector species for Bubonic Plague in the mountain and foothill regions of the Pacific coastal States. Western Gray squirrels and Eastern Fox squirrels have also been found to be casualties of this disease, just not in the numbers that the vector ground squirels have been.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-23460709
http://www.friendsofpalomarsp.org/camping.html
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/l...814-story.html
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/plague.htm

The disease combated in California by means of spraying the openings of the burrows of the ground squirrels to beat back the spread of this Endoparasitic disease.

How is this disease tranmitted?

http://www.publichealth.lacounty.gov...ent/plague.pdf

https://www.cdc.gov/plague/transmission/index.html

1. Bites of fleas from infected rodents

1. Hungry fleas will leave a sick or dead rodent to find another host and can bite people.

2. Direct contact with sick animals

The bacteria in the blood or other body fluids of an infected animal can enter through cuts and abrasions on the hands, or through the mucous membranes.

3. Pet involvement

•Infected rodent fleas can be brought into the home or campsite by a dog or cat.

•Plague pneumonia can be caught from a sick cat that is coughing or sneezing.

(In other words a bite from the infected animal can transmit this virus to other animals and in humans.)

"Plague in humans is very rare, with only about ten cases per year in the United States."

“In California, there have been 42 human cases of plague since 1970. Nine were fatal.”

“In a typical year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports about ten cases of plague in humans per year in the western

United States. However, during 2015, 16 human plague cases were reported.”

What are the symptoms of this disease?

“Symptoms of the plague include high fever, chills, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit or groin. “

There are three forms of plague:

•Bubonic plague:

Patients develop sudden onset of fever, headache, chills, and weakness and one or more swollen, tender and painful lymph nodes (called buboes). This form is usually the result of an infected flea bite. The bacteria multiply in the lymph node closest to where the bacteria entered the human body. If the patient is not treated with appropriate antibiotics, the bacteria can spread to other parts of the body. (see Black Plague)

•Septicemic plague:

Patients develop fever, chills, extreme weakness, abdominal pain, shock, and possibly bleeding into the skin and other organs. Skin and other tissues may turn black and die, especially on fingers, toes, and the nose. Septicemic plague can occur as the first symptoms of plague, or may develop from untreated bubonic plague. This form results from bites of infected fleas or from handling an infected animal.

•Pneumonic plague:

Patients develop fever, headache, weakness, and a rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and sometimes bloody or watery mucous. Pneumonic plague may develop from inhaling infectious droplets or from untreated bubonic or septicemic plague that spreads to the lungs. The pneumonia may cause respiratory failure and shock. Pneumonic plague is the most serious form of the disease and is the only form of plague that can be spread from person to person (by infectious droplets).

B]What should I do if you experience these symptoms?[/B]

If you live or have recently traveled to the western U.S. or any other plague endemic area and have symptoms suggestive of plague, seek health care immediately.

https://www.cdc.gov/plague/transmission/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/plague/diagnosis/index.html

AVMA website: https://www.avma.org/KB/Resources/FA...ague-FAQs.aspx

Q: How is plague treated?

A: Plague can be treated with specific antibiotics from the aminoglycoside, fluoroquinolone and tetracycline families. If plague is suspected, appropriate treatment should be initiated immediately. Recommended dosage regimens are available that take into account the species affected, dosage can be adjusted based on age, medical history and underlying health conditions.

What precautions can I take to avoid contracting this infectious disease?

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/plague-...tional-forest/

(The photo of the squirrel under the title page of this article is not that of the vector species, the California Ground Squirrel.)

Other References:

https://www.pestworld.org/news-hub/p...ed-by-rodents/
https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/plague.htm
http://articles.latimes.com/2013/may...lague-20130523

[Diggie's Friend]

Just to assure readers, the Eastern Gray squirrel, which is indigenous to the Eastern US is not the vector species or this disease. The article showing the picture was in error from not bothering to check if they got the right photo. The article otherwise appears to be a very good source of information on this disease. Be forewarned that the link included on this page is to an article on a survivor of this disease, that include graphic photos of the disease's affects.

There are a number of mammals that are known to carry Bubonic Plague. Along the Pacific Coastal States Spermophilus Beechyi is the vector species for this disease. In battling the disease in the wild, it is the fleas that transmit this disease that are the target of elimination, not the ground squirrels. Spraying Malathion around the den openings to kill the fleas is the strategy used to knock down the prevalance of this disease that is most common in this species populations, but also found in other ground mammals, with tree squirrels as the less common victims of the disease, as they do not live in ground burrows where fleas breed and feeding on the blood of their ground mammal hosts.

https://naturalhistory.si.edu/mna/im...species_id=355

[SophieSquirrel]

One of the most affected of the squirrel family is the Black Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys Ludovicianus).

A good friend of mine Lynda Watson rescues them from development and re-locates them to areas where they are wanted. Luckily the plague is limited to certain areas for now and not where she is working.



My Patchi was originally removed from a colony as a baby and sold in the pet trade. A nice woman who could not keep him any longer surrendered him to me and he is now the most beloved member of the family.

PATCHI

[Diggie's Friend]

BRAVO, BRAVO!!

[Diggie's Friend]

http://prairiedogpals.org/tag/plague/ Vaccine, Good News!

[Diggie's Friend]

Here is a research study file on (Yersinia pestis) infectations in Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) colonies.