Santa Fe Co. man is third plague case

SANTA FE (KRQE) - A Santa Fe County man, 56, was diagnosed with bubonic plague, the state's third plague case this year.

The man is recovering at home, according to a New Mexico Department of Health news release. The department usually does not release plague victims' names or more exact locations.

Officials are examining the man's home to determine if there's an ongoing risk to people, according to the release.

Health officials have also confirmed a plague case in a dog from north of the city of Taos and a cat from the Arroyo Hondo area southeast of Santa Fe.

The other two cases to be confirmed this year were in a boy, 8, and his sister, 10. The boy died of the disease, but his sister recovered. Both were in Santa Fe County.

Bubonic plague and other forms of plague are generally spread through the bites of infected fleas, but can also be transmitted by infected animals, including rodents, wildlife and pets, according to the department.

Human cases of the plague generally peak in June, July and August, according to public health veterinarian Dr. Paul Ettestad with the department.

"Everyone should take precautions to prevent their exposure to rodents as part of their regular routine no matter where they live," he said in a news release. "Pets should be treated with a flea control product ant not be allowed to roam and hunt. They can bring fleas from infected rodents back into the home where they can bite people, especially if they are allowed to sleep in bed with people."

The department also recommends that people:

• Avoid sick or dead rodents,
• Teach children not to play near rodent nests or burrows,
• Treat pets regularly with an effective flea control product,
• Clean up areas near the house where rodents could live, and
• Have sick pets examined promptly by a veterinarian.

Symptoms of bubonic plague in humans include:

• Fever,
• Painful swollen lymph nodes in the groin, armpit or neck areas,
• Chills,
• Headache,
• Vomiting, and
• Diarrhea.

Symptoms of other forms of the plague include abdominal pain, cough, difficulty breathing and bloody sputum.

Symptoms in cats are similar to humans, according to the Department of Health.

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Also on the Web: CDC plague information