Bubonic plague kills 3 year old New Mexico boy

[RebLem]

Posted at: 06/07/2007 09:24:35 PM

Updated at: 06/08/2007 07:52:54 AM

By: The Associated Press

Plague kills 3-year-old Bernalillo Co. boy

SANTA FE (AP) - A three-year-old Bernalillo County boy has died of bubonic plague, marking the first fatal case of the disease in New Mexico this year.

The state Health Department made the announcement Thursday night.  C. Mack Sewell, the department's state epidemiologist, says the department's sympathies go out to the boy's family and friends.

The city of Albuquerque's Environmental Health Department and the state Health Department are conducting an investigation at the boy's home in the East Mountain area to determine if there is any risk to people.

The boy's name hasn't been released.  He was the third plague case in New Mexico this year.  The first in late April was a man from San Juan County who recovered, and the second was a woman from Torrance County who is still hospitalized.

http://kob.com/article/stories/S107035.shtml?cat=517

Subsequent reports have indicated that plague is spread most often by prairie dogs, and that the home in which this occured, in what is called the East Mountains, in a valley between the Sandia and Ortiz Mountains east of Albuquerque, was infested with dead rodents and rodent feces.  A child endangerment investigation is proceeding.  RebLem

[Steve]

Unbelievable.... 

[Iago]

I feel sadness for the boy and sympathy for his family, but is your post supposed to scare anybody?
I'll make sure I have no prairie dogs as pets and will immediately bury all dead rodents I have around the house.
The rodent feces, I will package and send to a certain recipient in Boston.

Bubonic Plague is a sheep in wolfs clothing, and sadly is not uncommon in the west.  It is easily controlled and cured by the administration of simple antibiotics or anti-viral medications (I forget whether the plague organisms are bacterial or viral in nature), and makes its appearance only in the filthiest of homes occupied by the poorest, and least educated families, who either cannot, or will not take action when symptoms first appear.

[BachQ]

the home in which this occured was infested with dead rodents and rodent feces.  

That's pretty extreme .......

[SonicMan46]

.....(I forget whether the plague organisms are bacterial or viral in nature.....................

For those interested, the causative organism for bubonic plague (the BLACK DEATH from medieval times) is due to a bacterium, which was discovered by Alexandre Yersin, who worked at the Pasteur Institute - he was in Hong Kong in the 1890s during an extremely virulent pandemic; the organism was first named Pasteurella pestis by Yersin, but later in his honor, the current name for the bug is Yersinia pestis; there was a good book on this subject a few years back that I read - can't recall the title right off - 

[BachQ]

but later in his honor, the current name for the bug is Yersinia pestis;

That's quite an honor! ........ To have a bacterium named after you ..........

[Anne]

Sonic Man,

I would be interested in reading that book if you can remember the title.  Thanks.

[SonicMan46]

That's quite an honor! ........ To have a bacterium named after you ..........

D Minor - well, to a bacteriologist (as was Yersin), probably similar to winning the Nobel Prize!    And remember, bacteria were the first cellular organisms on the planet, and may very well be the last (or the start of a completely new line of evolution, i.e. if you believe in that stuff, once the human population destroys the 'current status' on this 'third rock from the sun') - 

Anne - check out the book shown below - Plague: A Story of Rivalry, Science, and the Scourge That Won't Go Away (2003) - CLICK on the image for comments - detailed but fascinating story, esp. between Yersin & Shibasaburo Kitasato (a world famous Japanese beacteriologist), both trying to solve this 'mystery' - 

[BachQ]

D Minor - well, to a bacteriologist (as was Yersin), probably similar to winning the Nobel Prize!    And remember, bacteria were the first cellular organisms on the planet, and may very well be the last (or the start of a completely new line of evolution, i.e. if you believe in that stuff, once the human population destroys the 'current status' on this 'third rock from the sun') - 

Yeah, all of my bacteriologist friends are convinced that having a germ named after you is the cat's ass ......... 

Dminorella bacillus ........

[Anne]

Thank you very much.

I wondered if you had read The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett?  She is a Pulitzer Prize Winner.  The book is 768 pages; received 4 1/2 stars at Amazon out of 64 reviews.  I can't decide if she is connected to the CDC or not.  The book is fascinating and true.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/104-6944379-3143911?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=The+Coming+Plague+Laurie+Garrett&Go.x=11&Go.y=8


Another book I read several years ago is The Hot Zone, a true story about Ebola by Richard Preston.

After those 2, I took a rest from frightening myself.  However, 2 years later when the news program was discussing Ebola because there was another outbreak in Africa, and in the same broadcast said one who had been exposed was a Canadian and he'd already returned to Canada (Ottawa or Toronto), I just sat right up and took notice.  Since I live in Michigan, that was too close for comfort.  Apparently the person from Canada did not get sick.

The part that is so troubling is the fact that any disease in the world is only 24 hours from one's front door.  I think everyone should read The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett.

[MishaK]

SANTA FE (AP) - A three-year-old Bernalillo County boy has died of bubonic plague, marking the first fatal case of the disease in New Mexico this year.

Meaning, this is quite a frequent occurrence and happened last year as well?

[Anne]

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic428.htm

Sorry, I had to answer the phone and could not finish this post.  That URL will answer your questions.  It was written by a doctor but is not difficult to understand.

The fast answer is yes, the plague is still around and is spread by fleas, wild infected animals, rats and mice.  In the US the far west and southwest have cases more than other areas.  There are maps on the cited article showing where the majority of cases are around the world.

If you read the article, there are photos at the very end.  Warning!  The photos are graphic!

[head-case]

Meaning, this is quite a frequent occurrence and happened last year as well?

I'm sure it is quite a frequent occurrence if you live among dead rats.

[SonicMan46]

Thank you very much.

I wondered if you had read The Coming Plague by Laurie Garrett?  She is a Pulitzer Prize Winner.  The book is 768 pages; received 4 1/2 stars at Amazon out of 64 reviews.  I can't decide if she is connected to the CDC or not.  The book is fascinating and true....................................

Anne - thanks for the recommendation above - I've not read that book (at least not yet!) - the impact of infectious diseases on mankind (and the animals we've domesticated and those not) is just phenomenal and fascinating (and yes 'SCARY' at times); I'm a physician at a medical center in NC - constantly have requirements to fulfill concerning 'infections' - e.g. just had my yearly TB skin test!

Below are some other books on infections & their impact on the humans & the world that might be of interest:

Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies, New Edition (2005) by Jared Diamond

The Great Mortality: An Intimate History of the Black Death, the Most Devastating Plague of All Time (2006) by John Kelly - excellent account of the 14th century 'Black Death'

Plagues and Poxes: The Impact of Human History on Epidemic Disease (2004) by Alfred Jay Bollet, M.D. - a little dry & short, but good summary; he also wrote an excellent book on 'Civil War Medicine', his specialty

Man and Microbes: Disease and Plagues in History and Modern Times (1996) by Arno Karlen - an older book, but also quite good

All of these books are reviewed on Amazon for those who may be interested - 

 

 

[Bunny]

Unbelievable.... 

Meaning, this is quite a frequent occurrence and happened last year as well?

There are always one or two cases of bubonic plague that crop up every so often.  What's unbelievable is that there aren't more cases every year given how widespread black rats and fleas are in certain areas of the country. 

Also, there are some cases of plague that are caught early enough to be treated successfully with antibiotics, especially in those who have come into contact with someone who has become infectious with plague.

[Anne]

SonicMan:
"Anne - thanks for the recommendation above - I've not read that book (at least not yet!) - the impact of infectious diseases on mankind (and the animals we've domesticated and those not) is just phenomenal and fascinating (and yes 'SCARY' at times); I'm a physician at a medical center in NC - constantly have requirements to fulfill concerning 'infections' - e.g. just had my yearly TB skin test!

Below are some other books on infections & their impact on the humans & the world that might be of interest:..."

SonicMan,
If you do read it, I'd love to know your thoughts and reactions.  Thanks for these new recommendations.  Am always looking for a good book.

Re: Hot Zone  The only way I know to describe that book is "riveting."  If I remember correctly, 90% of people who get Ebola die from it.  (Aren't I just full of good news tonight!  LOL!)  I'll say no more.