Bernalillo County man dies from the plague

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Associated Press

Bernalillo County man dies from the plague
Published: November 1, 2013 Updated 1 hour ago
The Associated Press

SANTA FE, N.M. — The New Mexico Department of Health says an 80-year-old Bernalillo County man has died from the plague.

It's the fourth human case of the plague this year in the state.

Authorities say an environmental investigation will be done at the man's home.

Plague is a bacterial disease of rodents and is generally transmitted to humans through the bites of infected fleas.

It can also be transmitted by direct contact with infected animals including rodents, wildlife and pets.

Read more: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/11/01/5363347/bernalillo-county-man-dies-from.html#storylink=cpy

[Deep13]

1. Not really surprising. Y. pestis always has a small presence in the SW. nt

[cosmicone]

2. Plague has not been a scary disease for over 50 years.

It is easily treated by most common antibiotics. The problem is that because it is rare, most doctors don't think of it in their differential diagnosis.

[kestrel91316]

4. It most certainly IS a scary disease. Diagnostic and treatment delays are

par for the course, unfortunately, so people die needlessly. It is a known occupational hazard for us veterinarians. A female vet in Denver several years ago nearly died of pneumonic plague acquired from a feline patient. She didn't know the dying cat presented to her had plague, got respiratory exposure, and within 24 hours was in a hospital in a coma. They saved her in time, but she had a lengthy recovery.

And a vet in my area caught pneumonic plague about 30 years ago from a ground squirrel that some kid brought to him for an autopsy. He DID die.

Your cavalier attitude shows your appalling ignorance of medical reality.

http://www.cdc.gov/plague/

You should do a little homework before you go spouting such nonsense around here and blatantly misleading people.

[cosmicone]

8. I know what I am talking about.

If you had read my post in full, you'd have read that the problem is a lack of diagnosis because most doctors don't consider it probable due to its rarity. The disease itself is no longer scary -- lack of diagnosis and immediate treatment can make a patient die from any disease scary or not.

[kestrel91316]

9. Pneumonic plague is scary because it can kill you before you can even get to a doctor.

I'm gonna pull rank here as a veterinarian who also has a degree in microbiology and who has a professional interest in veterinary pubic health.

Plague, and rabies, are things which one should NEVER, EVER encourage a cavalier attitude toward.

[awoke_in_2003]

11. Pubic health is very important...

[valerief]

19. Not according to our Congress. nt

[cosmicone]

13. How about me pulling my rank?

I'm a MD, PhD who is actively involved in research on infectious diseases.

[ReRe]

17. Straight out...

... I don't believe you.

[cosmicone]

20. But you believe he is a Veterinarian? hahaha

[Hekate]

21. She. And she has a long and active history here, so is well known

Seems you joined DU the same year, but she has more of a track record with some of us.

So yes, I believe Kestrel is a good source, and I'm rather picky about my sources.

[cosmicone]

22. I'd post my CV and a list of publications here

if I really cared.

Keep believing whatever and disbelieving whatever. Even Michelle Bachmann and Louis Gohmert have faithful believers.

[Marrah_G]

3. There will always be isolated cases of this

There is just no way to get rid of it in the host animals. Fortunately we have gotten pretty good at stopping most of these deadly viruses before they spread to much.

[kestrel91316]

5. Plague isn't a virus. It's a bacterium. It is treatable with antibiotics, but most physicians

wouldn't know a case of it if it came up and bit them in the ass. THAT is the danger. Because untreated plague can spread like wildfire.

[Marrah_G]

6. Yes, you're right

[Javaman]

7. Bubonic, pneumonic or septicemic? and yes, it makes a difference. nt

[blkmusclmachine]

10. The plague? Pshaw! It's Tea Bag Heaven.

[Historic NY]

12. New Mexico is on the 4 corners area....

Arizona, Colorado, NewMexico and Utah that has had more than one outbreak over the decades.

http://nmhealth.org/erd/healthdata/plague/humanplagueintheswus_eisen_2007.pdf

[Tom Ripley]

14. I blame it on witches

[Rozlee]

15. Christine O'Donnell?

She must have been in excellent form this Halloween.

[msanthrope]

16. I have a "Bring Out Your Dead" joke that is probably tasteless.....

&sa=X&ei=Fb50UtDeHvW_sQSi8YCoCA&ved=0CAsQqwQ

[ReRe]

18. Lawdy, Lawdy... not good, not good...

... actually, not surprising, as these kinds of nasty diseases always rear their ugly heads when there's bad economic times.