A
housecat has been diagnosed with pneumonic plague in rural western
Laramie County. Over a dozen individuals who came into contact with the
cat are currently being assessed by the Wyoming Department of Health to
determine if they need to receive antibiotics. Plague is a serious
bacterial infection that can be deadly if not treated promptly with
antibiotics. The pneumonic form of plague can be easily transmitted from
a coughing cat or other animal to a human. Humans can then breathe in
the bacteria and develop pneumonic plague as well. Although health
officials believe this is thought to be an isolated case, plague has
been present in the area before with animal cases in 2005 and 2008 and
is believed to be endemic in Wyoming wildlife.
Biohazard name:
Plague (pneumonic, cat )
Biohazard level:
4/4 Hazardous
Biohazard desc.:
Viruses
and bacteria that cause severe to fatal disease in humans, and for
which vaccines or other treatments are not available, such as Bolivian
and Argentine hemorrhagic fevers, H5N1(bird flu), Dengue hemorrhagic
fever, Marburg virus, Ebola virus, hantaviruses, Lassa fever,
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever, and other hemorrhagic or unidentified
diseases. When dealing with biological hazards at this level the use of a
Hazmat suit and a self-contained oxygen supply is mandatory. The
entrance and exit of a Level Four biolab will contain multiple showers, a
vacuum room, an ultraviolet light room, autonomous detection system,
and other safety precautions designed to destroy all traces of the
biohazard. Multiple airlocks are employed and are electronically secured
to prevent both doors opening at the same time. All air and water
service going to and coming from a Biosafety Level 4 (P4) lab will
undergo similar decontamination procedures to eliminate the possibility
of an accidental release.
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - A housecat has been diagnosed with pneumonic plague in rural western Laramie County.
Over
a dozen individuals who came into contact with the cat are currently
being assessed by the Wyoming Department of Health to determine if they
need to receive antibiotics.
LARAMIE COUNTY - A housecat has been diagnosed with pneumonic (the lung form) of plague in rural western Laramie County.
Plague,
known as the Black Death during medieval times, is a serious bacterial
infection that can be deadly if not treated promptly with antibiotics.
The pneumonic form of plague can be easily transmitted from a coughing
cat or other animal to a human. Humans can then breathe in the bacteria
and develop pneumonic plague as well.
On October 26, the Wyoming
Department of Health (WDH) notified Cheyenne-Laramie County Health
Department (CLCHD) of a plague positive housecat submitted to the
Wyoming State Veterinary Lab on October 21.
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