RSOE confirms first human case of 'plague' for 2012, New Mexico USA

MODS feel free to move if this event would fit better in a different place. I did a search and didn't see any other posts on this topic. I just thought it was interesting with some of the other disease discussions going on. Although it isn't a 'Zombie' story, lol, I thought I would share.

RSOE ALERT MAP

A 78-year-old Torrance County, New Mexico man is the first human case of plague in New Mexico or the United States in 2012. Health officials report the yet unnamed man is currently hospitalized in stable condition. According to a New Mexico Department of Health press release Thursday, they confirmed the man as having the plague, or Yersinia pestis today. NM Department of Health Cabinet Secretary, Dr. Catherine Torres said, “The Department of Health takes action when a plague case occurs to ensure the safety of the immediate family, neighbors, and health care providers. We inform neighbors door-to-door about plague found in the area and educate them on reducing their risk. We determine whether individuals close to the patient may also have been exposed to the plague and recommend preventative treatment when necessary.”

reply to post by lindsay1984


So one guy gets the "plague" and now its an epidemic?
I can see this spreading fear like...well...the plague.


Wonder if he got it from rats or fleas?
The site is actually calling it the "black plague".
Which, I thought was eradicated...but stored somewhere in NM.
Frozen, cryogenically for future studies and uses.

Wonder if somehow it "escaped"....


Oh the conspiracies!

I was born in Albuquerque...didn't realize half the cases of the plague occur in NM...

Plague is an infectious disease of animals and humans caused by a bacterium named Yersinia pestis. People usually get plague from the bite of a rodent flea that is carrying plague bacteria or by handling an infected animal. Although plague is a rare disease, about half of U.S. cases each year occur in New Mexico. Today, modern antibiotics are effective against plague, but if an infected person is not treated promptly, the disease can be life-threatening.

Source

You diffently want to keep an eye on the rodent population...when their's an explosion in the rodent population you increase your chances of catching them horrible deadly diseases that they can carry...

reply to post by havok



The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague

The guy sounds like he has the second most common type:

The second most common manifestation of the plague was the Pneumonic form, which attacked the lungs. People hit by this would cough up blood with phlegm, which would eventually thin to liquid consistency and become bright red. High fever also accompanied this. The mortality rate was extremely high: 90-95%.

Source

Fleas have killed more people than Wars. Source

The ease with which fleas transmit diseases is what’s made them so deadly. During the Middle Ages when man brought rats containing the Yersinia pestis virus to Europe from Africa. This is what sparked the Black Plague, which claimed more lives than all the wars in human history.

Wanting to clear up some confusion on where the rats came from Asia or Africa...

The four forms of the Black Death: septicemic, pneumonic, enteric, and bubonic, were not native to Europe because it is hard for the plague bacteria, Yersinia pestis, to subsist in the colder climate that is prevalent in Europe. "Plague bacteria normally reside in Central Asia, Yunan China, Arabia, East Africa, and limited areas of Iran." The reason why they inhabit these generally hotter areas is because they need a warm climate to multiply in. Some historians believe that the Black Death originated in Lake Issyk-Kul in Central Asia. Researchers found that in the years 1338 and 1339 there was a very high death rate reported in Lake Issyk-Kul that was attributed to plague. However, the most striking detail about Lake Issyk-Kul was that it was on the Silk Road. Therefore, the Black Death had its beginnings in Central Asia on the Silk Road, and then it proceeded to spread across the Silk Road into areas that it linked: the Middle East, Northern Africa, and Europe.

Source

Ehhh, with half of the cases actually stemming from NM, my worries are eased.
This is just the first case this year.

Which begs the question...why New Mexico?




Hmmmm....

I thought the plague pops up over the world every year?

reply to post by havok


From my first Source linked...

Is there a particular time of the year when plague cases occur?
Yes, the majority of New Mexico plague cases occur during the warmer months of the year –- May through September. Most of these cases result from exposure to plague infected fleas, because this is the time of year when fleas, rodents and people are most active and there are more chances that infected rodents and/or fleas can come in contact with people. However, cases have occurred during other months of the year. Wintertime cases usually result from direct contact or handling of plague-infected animals, as described above

Climate...which is alot like it is in Asia and Africa...

On another note...I came across Giant Rats wanting to be used to clear Land Mines...I would also suggest Beav ers...lol

reply to post by relocator


OMG! Great, more stress to add to my life. I have been bathing dogs daily almost trying to rid us of a flea infestation. My home is new and as clean as I can keep it, I spray and do all I can but they wont go away!

What to do!!! I dont want my family to get this plague!

reply to post by antar


If you don't have carpet then you job will not be as hard since fleas love to bury themselves down deep in carpets. My father and I ran a carpet cleaning company when I graduated from H.S. So I know all about cleaning...lol

I found a video with transcript in case you can't watch that lists some good ideas to keep in mind when trying to get rid of fleas...Good luck.

Source

We see small spurts of black plague almost every year. There was one year in the early 1990's though that killed a lot (dozens plus) of Native Americans in New Mexico and a sporadic sprinkling of people in many other states. Locally, we lost two women who were not Native Americans.

They told us that fleas on "deer mice" were spreading it.

reply to post by antar



I have the same problem, and its pretty bad.. even though we only have one tiny dog. It sucks cause like Relocator said, they are in the carpets.. so you kill all the fleas on the pet then they just get re-infested by the fleas in the carpet.

reply to post by relocator


Thank you so much and you are right, they do burrow down into the carpets and baseboards. I clean like a fiend but still it is a losing battle. I do plan next month to replace all carpet in m y home with hardwood floors, more my style anyway and much more sanitary.

reply to post by ReadyPower


It is so bad for the dogs too to get bathed almost daily, I have one that just chews her back off anyway and with all the bathes it is even worse for the poor darling. It is so embarrassing and even though it is obvious my home is in good shape and pets well maintained, just one more thing to guilt me out of a stress free lifestyle...