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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
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The cure IS worse!
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Speaking of the plague
LOS ANGELES -- A woman was hospitalized earlier this month with bubonic plague, the first confirmed human case in Los Angeles County in more than two decades, health officials said Tuesday.
The woman, who was not identified, was admitted April 13 with a fever, swollen lymph nodes and other symptoms. A blood test confirmed she had contracted the bacterial disease. The woman was placed on antibiotics and is in stable condition, the Los Angeles County Department of Health Services said.
Bubonic plague is not contagious, but if left untreated it can morph into pneumonic plague, which can be spread from person to person. Bubonic plague is usually transmitted to humans from the bites of fleas infected by dead rodents.
Health officials suspect the woman was exposed to fleas in her central Los Angeles home, said Dr. Jonathan Fielding, the county's director of public health. The woman's family was also placed on antibiotics as a precaution, but there's no evidence they were infected.
The case is unusual because it occurred in an urban area, Fielding said. Most bubonic plague outbreaks happen in rural communities.
Health officials said there was no cause for panic because the disease is not easily transmissible.
"There's no cause for alarm in the community," Fielding said.
Health officials went to the woman's home Tuesday to trap squirrels and other wild animals. Blood samples from the animals will be sent to a lab to determine if any are infected.
Bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, killed an estimated 25 million people in Europe between 1346 and 1351. The last major urban outbreak in the U.S. occurred in Los Angeles in 1924-25, when at least 30 people died.
In California, bubonic plague is prevalent among squirrels in the Angeles National Forest and other parks. Health officials regularly warn campers and hikers to take precaution against the disease by avoiding infected animals.
The plague is considered a bioterrorism agent and state law requires that doctors report suspected cases to local health departments.
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Posted 4/19/06 9:10 AM  |
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dandr10199
Grace is growing up too fast!
Member since 10/05 11561 total posts
Name:
Dina
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Re: Speaking of the plague
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| Posted 4/19/06 9:11 AM |
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jersee3380
He's here!!
Member since 5/05 1372 total posts
Name:
caroline
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Re: Speaking of the plague
did you get this from watching House?? what a great show that is ... and how scary is this! 
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| Posted 4/19/06 10:42 AM |
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reggie
I love my boys!!
Member since 5/05 8044 total posts
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Re: Speaking of the plague
Posted by jersee3380
did you get this from watching House?? what a great show that is ... and how scary is this!
Yeah.. I saw that. She had the same symptoms.
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| Posted 4/19/06 12:18 PM |
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MrsERod
Praying for Everyone.
Member since 5/05 26170 total posts
Name:
MrsERod™®
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Re: Speaking of the plague
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| Posted 4/19/06 12:22 PM |
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DebG
Pick a cause & stand up for it
Member since 5/05 18602 total posts
Name:
The cure IS worse!
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Re: Speaking of the plague
Posted by regi
Posted by jersee3380
did you get this from watching House?? what a great show that is ... and how scary is this!
Yeah.. I saw that. She had the same symptoms.
no ma'am I didn't, I don't watch that show.
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| Posted 4/19/06 12:26 PM |
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nrthshgrl
It goes fast. Pay attention.
Member since 7/05 57538 total posts
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Re: Speaking of the plague
Posted by DebGsaid.
Bubonic plague is not contagious, but if left untreated it can morph into pneumonic plague, which can be spread from person to person. Bubonic plague is usually transmitted to humans from the bites of fleas infected by dead rodents.
Bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, killed an estimated 25 million people in Europe between 1346 and 1351. The last major urban outbreak in the U.S. occurred in Los Angeles in 1924-25, when at least 30 people died.
Source
Here's a silly question. If the Bubonic plague can't be transmitted person to person, how could it be responsible for killing 25 million people? Sounds like pneumonic plague unless there were that many fleas.
Message edited 4/19/2006 12:58:00 PM.
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| Posted 4/19/06 12:57 PM |
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Sassyz75
Turning a new page
Member since 5/05 9731 total posts
Name:
Dina
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Re: Speaking of the plague
that's nuts.
House was GREAT lastnight.
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| Posted 4/19/06 1:20 PM |
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