Plague in West Texas--not your Medieval plague

     Don't panic. Plague in prairie dogs is common, and we have outbreaks just about every year and it could be in any group of prairie dogs like this one in Muleshoe, Texas. See, Texas Prairie Dog Reserve confirmed plague . But these outbreaks are not limited to prairie dogs. Ten years ago, a national park wildlife specialist died a few days after doing an autopsy of a Mountain Lion which had died, and it turns out, had probably died of plague. A couple from New Mexico on a visit to New York City, fourteen years ago, ended up in a hospital in New York with a diagnosis of plague. The results can be devastating, including losing limbs and of course, dying. These are just a couple of incidents that have made the news.
    The plague, yersinia pestis, has evolved since the first recorded plague outbreak, the Justinian plague, and it continues to evolve. The next plague, will likely have evolved to yet another form, and that gives us some pause. Rodent control and antibiotics are our current advantages, and let's hope we keep those advantages.
    So the caution here, is to avoid contact with rodents particularly at a time of an outbreak in the region, and be cautious when removing dead rodents, including squirrels, cats or any mammal. The transmission to humans can occur with fleas leaving a cooling rodent body in search of a new warm-blooded host, where fleas can maintain warmth. So keep your distance.
    Have a safe summer!