Bubonic Plague in Denver Zoo

[Zabali_Clawbane]

Article here. This is neither mundane, nor pointless. Be very careful with your pets, don’t let them near any rodents if you live in that area. I really hope they get this situation under control soon. It might not be uncommon there, but this is the first I’ve heard of it. If any Dopers living in that area has a better article, or updates please post them.

@The Denver Post

An 8-year-old hooded capuchin monkey at the Denver Zoo was a victim of the bubonic- plague outbreak moving through the City Park neighborhood near the zoo.

Twenty-three animals - mostly tree squirrels - have tested positive for the disease out of 144 examined, said John Pape, epidemiologist with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.

“This disease has the potential to move to other animals,” Pape said. “We consider that risk to be low, but it still happens.”

No humans have contracted the disease this year, Pape said.

A monkey dying from plague, however, serves as a reminder that people should not handle rodents and should keep their pets away from dead squirrels or rabbits, Pape said.

<snip>

Ken Gage, chief of flea-borne diseases for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Fort Collins, said plague is common for Colorado.

“You need to take plague seriously anytime it’s in an urban area,” he said.

The last time a plague outbreak occurred in Denver was in 1968 in the City Park area.

The last person in Colorado to die of plague was a 66-year-old Pueblo man hunting and skinning rabbits near Tarryall Reservoir in Park County who came down with the disease in 2004.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

bump

[pool]

I’m about 100 or so pages into the book The Hot Zone about the Ebola Virus so this story caught my eyes when I saw it. I don’t think much will come of it though.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

Did you notice the charming comment left by davka?

@davka on the article linked above

Excerpt: The reason for the bubonic plague outbreak is that homosexuality is going on in Denver. About three years ago I talked with a gay resident of this mountain city. He asked my what I thought about his “coming out”. My reply held consequences for the city of Denver.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

Note, I am only commenting on the idiot here, not saying you should go tell him off there!

[asterion]

Eh, such things are common. That it made it into the zoo and killed an animal without being caught is a bit surprising, but most of the western states see a few cases of plague each year. As long as it’s caught quickly it can be taken care of with antibiotics.

Now hantavirus, that scares me.

[Zabali_Clawbane]

@asterion

Now hantavirus, that scares me.

Agreed! :eek: Still, it’d be quite sad to see a Doper posting that they had lost their beloved pet due to the bubonic plague, and now they were having to ensure they didn’t have it as well!