Bubonic Plague Bacteria at Fern Basin CG

[Hikin_Jim]

Deadly Bacteria That Causes Bubonic, Septicemic and Pneumonic Plague Found Locally
A ground squirrel collected Sept. 6 at the Fern Basin campground north of Idyllwild tested positive for the bacteria that causes Bubonic, Septicemic and Pneumonic plague.

HJ

[zippetydude]

Scary.

z

[Perry]

I bet it's easy to get a camping permit for Fern Basin.

[halhiker]

This isn't the first time. This has been an ongoing problem for quite a while.

[lilbitmo]

Sure am glad that Sam ate that Squirrel on the way up Seven Pines and not me on Sat, I just wasn't that hungry

[bluerail]

Thank goodness its on the wrong side of the mountain.

[Ulysses]

Thank goodness its on the wrong side of the mountain.

Seems to me that's just a matter of perspective?

[lilbitmo]

Thank goodness its on the wrong side of the mountain.

Wrong side, did you spin your compass one too many times - Fern Basin campground is on the way to the trailhead for Seven Pines, did they up and move it on me again

Oh you mean for you and the tram I always new you were on the "FAR Right"

[cynthia23]

Oh, a plague on both their houses

[Hikin_Jim]

So, a few more facts on plague. See this World Health Organization plague information

Transmission is generally by flea bites, the fleas having been on infected animals. This method of plague transmission accounts for about 85 percent of the human cases of plague. Contact with squirrels, chipmunks, rats, etc. should be avoided. Dogs and cats may bring plague-infected fleas into the home. Pets should be prevented from coming into contact with potentially infected rodents.

According to Wikipedia, "Without treatment, the bubonic plague kills about two thirds of infected humans within 4 days." Um, you probably don't want to look at the photos at that Wikipedia link unless you have a strong stomach.

There are three forms of plague:
Bubonic form is the most common form of plague resulting from the bite of an infective flea. Plague bacillus enters the skin from the site of the bite and travels through the lymphatic system to the nearest lymph node. The lymph node then becomes inflamed because the plague bacteria, Yersinia pestis or Y. pestis, will replicate here in high numbers. The swollen lymph node is called a "bubo" which is very painful and can become suppurated as an open sore in advanced stage of infection;

Septicaemic form of plague occurs when infection spreads directly through the bloodstream without evidence of a "bubo". More commonly advanced stages of bubonic plague will result in the presence of Y. pestis in the blood. Septicaemic plague may result from flea bites and from direct contact with infective materials through cracks in the skin.

Pneumonic form of plague is the most virulent and least common form of plague. Typically, pneumonic form is due to a secondary spread from advanced infection of an initial bubonic form. Primary pneumonic plague results from inhalation of aerosolized infective droplets and can be transmitted from human to human without involvement of fleas or animals. Untreated pneumonic plague has a very high case-fatality ratio.

The bacterium identified at Fern Basin campground, Yersinia pestis, can cause all three forms of the plague. The primary prophylaxis is to avoid areas where plague has been identified.

HJ