HART FLAT, Calif. -- The Kern County Department of Public Health has confirmed a test result positive for Y. pestis, the bacteria that causes plague, conducted on a domesticated cat from Hart Flat, Calif.

A test on another cat in the same household is pending. The Vector Control Section of the California Department of Health Services and the Kern County Environmental Health, which is now part of Public Health, are collaborating to investigate these cases.

There is no evidence of human infection at this time, Kim Rodriguez with the KCDPH said.

Appropriate preventive steps including antibiotics have been recommended to protect those who may have been exposed to these cats. One of the symptomatic cats is responding well to antibiotics, but one of the cats has died, Rodriguez said.

“(The) plague is still very much present in our county, although we may want to believe that it is an obsolete disease of the past,” says Matt Constantine, Director of Public Health. “The most effective weapons in fighting this disease are public awareness, education, and preventative measures to reduce the risk for exposure.”

Plague, infection with the bacteria Y. pestis, is endemic throughout the southwest United States, including much of Kern County. Each year numerous mammals, including domestic cats, are identified with evidence of infection with Y. pestis, Rodriguez said.

Cats are believed to be the domestic species most susceptible to plague.

As in humans, three clinical syndromes have been described: bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic.

Bubonic is the most common manifestation and is characterized by high fever (105-106 degrees F), lethargy, and swollen lymph glands, most commonly of the glands of the neck and under the jaw in cats but in the inguinal area in humans. Infected lymph nodes may spontaneously abscess and drain, Rodriguez said.

Cats can pose a risk of plague transmission to humans. Because of the potential for transmission to humans, cats suspected of having plague should be hospitalized and placed in isolation. Persons having significant contact with a plague-infected cat, particularly cats with respiratory signs or draining abscesses, should consult with their health care provider regarding the need for a prophylactic course of antibiotics. Local and state public health officials should be notified immediately of cases of plague diagnosed in domestic cats, Rodriguez said.

Plague is known to be related to fluctuations in rodent population at elevations greater than 2,500 feet. Residents and visitors in these regions are advised to take the following precautions:

• Do not feed or handle wild animals, particularly ground squirrels and chipmunks.
• Eliminate trash near living areas, which attract and can harbor rodents.
• Report any animals acting strangely (i.e. sluggishly) to Kern County Environmental Health.
• Do not touch sick or dead animals. Report their location to Kern County Environmental Health.
• If odors or flies are noticed around rodent burrows, report this to Kern County Environmental Health.
• Do not camp or sit near rodent burrows, where infected animals may live. When possible, sleep off the ground, such as on cots.
• Domestic animals visiting plague-suspected areas should be observed for seven days. If they become ill, they should be examined by a veterinarian.
• Use insect repellent in plague-endemic areas.
• Wear protective clothing including long-sleeved shirts and long pants with cuffs tucked into the socks.
• Use flea-repellent products on your pets regularly; ie: collars, bath, ointments, and powders, especially after returning from a wilderness area.
• If pets appear sick after returning from a wilderness area, handle them carefully and take them to a veterinarian immediately.
• See a physician if within seven days of a visit to an endemic area you become ill with fever, chills, muscle aches, nausea, sore throat, headaches, physical exhaustion and /or painful swollen lymph nodes as the initial symptoms may be nonspecific.

It is prudent for all residents and visitors in known endemic areas of the county adhere to measures that would minimize their exposure to potentially infected animals. For more information, contact Public Health, Environmental Health Services at 661-862-8700.

Information provided by the Department of Public Health