Plague Found In El Paso County Prairie Dogs

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Plague Found In El Paso County Prairie Dogs The El Paso County Health Department has confirmed several prairie dog sites are infected with plague. The sites are at Schriever Air Force Base and on neighboring property, in eastern El Paso County. Reporter: KKTV Email Address: news@kktv11news.com

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The El Paso County Health Department has confirmed several prairie dog sites are infected with plague. The sites are at Schriever Air Force Base and on neighboring property, in eastern El Paso County.

Plague is commonly found in the Western U.S. in small ground animals that have been bitten by fleas.

Human cases aren't not common, but plague can be transmitted to people from infected animals. Since 1941, there have bee 55 cases statewide of human plague.

According to the Health Department, take the following precautions to prevent infection:

Avoid contact with sick or dead prairie dogs and rabbits.

Keep a close eye on pets, and make sure they are treated for fleas and properly secured when outdoors.

Do not linger in areas populated by prairie dogs, rabbits or similar animals. Also do not attempt to catch, feed or play with them.

Treat pants, socks, shoe tops, arms and legs with insect repellent when engaged in outdoor activities, such as hiking or jogging.

Be aware of dead animal smells or heavy fly populations indicating animal “die-offs,” which are a key sign of plague. Report such areas to the Health Department.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Mary Location: Colorado Springs on Mar 4, 2009 at 11:08 PM

Gee, the timing of this article has nothing to do with the attempt to get prairie dogs on the endangered list? Prairie dogs provide food and habitat for many (well over 100 species) of our wild animals such as raptors, foxes, and bobcats.

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