Are Incidents of the Plague in the United States on the Rise?

Yes, I believe they are, at least here in Oregon. There have been a few cases this year involving people being bitten by cats and contracting it. People are talking about it, most can't believe it still exists.

Oh great. Now the terrorists are infecting our rodents and small mammals with the plague. It is an ingenious plot, to be sure. Infect them in Mexico, and then send them over the border and hope they don't get caught. I know their game. I've got my eye on them. There is no way that the border patrol can catch all the animals, so a lot get through, and we will start to see the strain on our healthcare system if we haven't already.

I'm told that the black plague is no joke, and the pneumonic form, which is plague in the lungs that causes pneumonia, is the worst variety. Anyway, this could be bad, or it could just be that we have abnormal data that still falls within the range that it won't kill 9/10th of us.

I did some checking at your map, and guess what- RIGHT around the most concentrated area is Los Alamos. Where the lab is. I am not 100% accurate- but I'll post the link to the NM map, and let everyone else tell me how close I am.

Why so many around where the labs would be located? Makes me go "hmmm"...

Would it help if I placed the stupid link?
New Mexico Map

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


This behaviour of the quirrel is very common in animals that have contracted rabies, and rabies is not uncommon in squirrels.
Best thing to do is to get away as quick as possible, maybe alert a wildlife officer, before the animal spreads the disease to other critters or humans.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


The squirrel could have been rabid. Many years ago, I was chased by a squirrel in my yard, all the way up to the porch. I didn't think squirrels would do this, but I guess they will if they feel threatened or feel you are in their territory. At least that is what a vet told me once.

Originally posted by Corruption Exposed
reply to post by tvtexan

 

Do you believe that the plague headlines are sensationalized? In my opinion it seems like they are downplaying it.

The Arizona outbreak seems rather serious.

Yersinia pestis (i.e. 'the plague') is treatable by over a half-dozen antibiotics. If it is caught in the bubonic phase (buboes are essentially lumps on the body), it is very survivable. Once it spreads to the lungs or blood, it is harder to treat. It is only transmissible by humans in the pneumonic phase.

I wouldn't worry about it. It has always been endemic to the southwest, and a few dozen cases pop up every year. The death rate is very low, though.

In my area, two people have died of eastern equine encephalitis, which is highly unusual.

Originally posted by JiggyPotamus
Oh great. Now the terrorists are infecting our rodents and small mammals with the plague. It is an ingenious plot, to be sure. Infect them in Mexico, and then send them over the border and hope they don't get caught. I know their game. I've got my eye on them. There is no way that the border patrol can catch all the animals, so a lot get through, and we will start to see the strain on our healthcare system if we haven't already.

I'm told that the black plague is no joke, and the pneumonic form, which is plague in the lungs that causes pneumonia, is the worst variety. Anyway, this could be bad, or it could just be that we have abnormal data that still falls within the range that it won't kill 9/10th of us.

You are correct that pneumonic plague is terrible (and highly contagious), but I don't think that there is a plot going on here. Rodents have always been vectors for Yersinia pestis...this is not a new occurrence. The worst-case scenario, in my mind, is a pandemic that would strain the country's supply of antibiotics. Eventually, we would have antibiotic-resistant strains of Y. pestis, much like we have resistant strains of staphylococcus and enterococcus (MRSA and VRE).

I'm surprised ATS doesn't have more postings about how antibiotics are slowly becoming useless as the bacteria evolve. There is much more to fear from this impending phenomenon than terrorists, I assure you.

reply to post by Corruption Exposed


I honestly do not think so but i have no data to base my opinion on, so i acknowledge i may be very wrong. My understanding is that certain areas of the US have always had plague and plague carriers. The issue these days being that modern living brings people more into contact with carriers in these areas, leading to more exposure. So, rather than the "epidemic" spreading, it is simply more exposure to a growing population.

This stuff really scares me. How much do we not know? Is there any current insecticide that is polluting our water or our cattle that is coming to us?
Creepy but interesting story I read in thedcpost thedcpost.com... about GM's Roundup. Should it be banned and are we stupid for not paying attention to it more?

Maybe the people getting those plagues should personally go tell their story to congress

Originally posted by Pervius
To control the plague maybe they could release a boa constrictor species able to tolerate the heat where the prairie dogs are.

The snake eats the prairie dogs and keeps their population in check. Lowering the level of fleas, and the ability of a plague epidemic able to wipe out entire colonies of prairie dogs.

Maybe there is something missing in the food chain to keep the prairie dog population in check causing the problem.

That will end well. Every time a new species is introduced it completely screws everything else up. Just look at the Mongoose in Hawaii. They turned them loose to control the rat population on the islands. Well it turns out that the rats and the Mongoose never even see each other (one is nocturnal, the other isn't), and the Mongoose has gone on to decimate the native bird population.

Guam is another example. Good luck finding a single bird still alive on the island after the Green Tree Snake got loose there. Let's find a better way to keep the population in check than introducing a new species to the area.

Originally posted by Pervius
To control the plague maybe they could release a boa constrictor species able to tolerate the heat where the prairie dogs are.

The snake eats the prairie dogs and keeps their population in check. Lowering the level of fleas, and the ability of a plague epidemic able to wipe out entire colonies of prairie dogs.

Maybe there is something missing in the food chain to keep the prairie dog population in check causing the problem.

Ummm.....A few rat snakes would be better, I have a number of those very welcome guests on my property. They can startle you, at about 6-8ft long and big around as a paper towel tube, (empty roll, tube only). there's a long tradition of farmers around these parts that purposely catch them and "seed" their barns/buildings with them. My Gal hates snakes, but she welcomes them as well, due to there being no more scritcha scratching going on in the walls and ceilings.

More on topic, We just talked to our vet and she said that there is an explosion of flea growth this year, nation wide, and they're becoming immune to the pesticides and animal sprays. I'm the type of guy that "saves" spiders, I scoot them outside, alive. However, I draw the line at fleas, and other parasites...........see-ya.

YouSir

OP, I found this information about the plague on the Link for wmicentral.
The article is titled, Facts and fears about the plague. Below is some information I found useful to know about the plague.

What is the Plague? Plague is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis and is most common in rural areas where rodents and fleas are prevalent. It is found in many countries in the former Soviet Union, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The World Health Organization reports about 1,000 to 3,000 cases a year worldwide, mainly in Africa. In the United States the average is 5 to 15 cases per year. Though it can be found from the Pacific coast to Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and the Dakotas, most human cases are concentrated in two regions. The most common region is the southwestern areas of northern Arizona and New Mexico and the southern areas of Colorado and Utah. The other region is California, southern Oregon and western Nevada. New Mexico has the most reported cases. Plague activity occurs in cycles that depend on climate conditions, such as mild winters and wet springs, and the populations of rodents and fleas. It is generally found at elevations over 4,000 feet and can be present at any time of the year. In Arizona, there is an average of one to two human cases a year.

The plague is bacterial and can be treated with broad-spectrum antibiotics if caught in time.

No worry here.

I have been keeping on eye on the deer die offs also...

www.monroenews.com...

Upwards to 900 deer in eight Michigan counties have died from a viral disease known as epizootic hemorrhagic disease. This seems to be a nation wide outbreak, because of the hot dry drought conditions many of the Midwestern states have been experiencing. Deer infected with EHD have been found in Barry, Calhoun. Cass, Clinton, Eaton, Montcalm, Ionia, and Branch counties. Read more at: www.monroenews.com...