what is the current danger of bubonic plague in America?

Answer 1

Plague (Yersinia pestis) is endemic to ground squirrels, rabbits and other warm and fuzzy woodland creatures in California. Because it's endemic, there's not much to say about what's going "currently" -- it's an ongoing issue.

The case of bubonic plague we had in Los Angeles (say what you will about the inner city, it's hardly third world) this summer was traced back to rabbit hunting in the Tehachapi Mountains. There was a considerable rabbit die-off at the time.

Folks, if you see a whole lot of dead, keeled-over critters ... GET OUT.

We regularly find plague-positive animals in Angeles National Forest, but others have been found in Santa Monica and one was found in Griffith Park.

Best defense is to avoid playing with the sickly, cuddly creatures. Environmental Health occasionally goes out to trap and test animals. Sometimes, they create flea dust burrows. These burrows lure animals in, give them a light dusting with flea powder and kill off the fleas that carry plague.

Does the bubonic plague mean much of a threat to Americans? Not really. For one thing, it's readily treatable with antibiotics. Secondly, most people don't have that kind of intimate contact with the most likely vectors for plague.

The "big" threat that my department is most concerned with is the use of pneumonic plague as a bioterrorism agent. Pneumo plague has a much higher case-fatality than bubonic plague, and it's easier to spread. Has Y. pestis been used in this context lately where I am? No. But the idea that it could be weaponized and used to take down a city as large as mine is scary enough to provoke politicos to pump funds into our coffers. If only some of that grant money came my way. *sigh*

Answer 2

America is wide open for plagues from any place in the world because of the borders being open and illegal aliens entering America with no vaccines or proof of vaccines. And not only that people entering and leaving the nation without vaccines.Closed borders decreases the chance of sickness entering the nation.

Answer 3

The current danger of the bubonic plague is quite slim due to the fact that health-related knowledge has increased and there are more precautious means towards safety. Also, sanitation and the idea of germs has taken effect as well as evident medical cures or miracles to once detrimental diseases that are now almost extinct. However, the bubonic plague may occur in less developed nations that dont have very good sanitary conditions or are unaware of the dangers that could lead to the bubonic plague.

Answer 4

Plague is endemic in certain parts of the US right now! (Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, etc.) There are not a ton of cases each year (around 10), but its there nevertheless. I don't thing we would have to worry about an epidemic of it today as it is transmitted by a flea - very easy to control with today's pesticides. There is much more worry with hospital associated infections as they outnumber all notifiable diseases. A pandemic influenza strain is also something that has the potential to destroy the economy/social life etc. It is not necessarily the one talked about now, but we are about due for a pandemic strain if you look at the history. If you really want a view of what it would be like, read up on the 1918 Spanish Flu. It would be much like that, maybe worse as it is much more difficult to control people's social lives today.

Answer 5

I don't Know, But Probably Very Low, I've Remember Seeing a Report, Long Ago, that Some Squirrels on a Golf Course Tested Positive for "Yersinia pestis".

Answer 6

its very low i guess