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Health & Economic Impact

Consider plague risk when dealing with fleas, rodents — and cats

Building upon Pest Management Professional’s plague risk coverage in its April issue (p. 64), there has been a report noting that in February, a resident of Bend, Ore., contracted bubonic plague from their pet cat. While plague is rare, it’s not eradicated; national figures estimate about seven people a year contract it in the United States. It’s worth reminding technicians that particularly, on calls for fleas, rodents and feral cats, personal protective equipment (PPE) is important.

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) puts forth the three main transmission routes that the bacterium that causes plague, Yersinia pestis, takes.

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