[HideMe]Fleaborne Diseases
In California, there are several fleaborne diseases associated with fleas. Probably the most important is plague. Active plague surveillance has been underway in the state for many years by the California Department of Health Services.
Photo credit Edman/McClelland collection
[HideMe]Plague
California plague surveillance
Plague positive rodents 2008
The following link is to a table showing plague-positive rodents tested in conjunction with the California Department of Public Health, Vector-borne Disease Section Plague Surveillance Program.
Mammals tested for plague in California, 2007
In 2007, 482 blood samples were collected from wild carnivores and 914 blood samples from wild rodents in connection with the statewide plague surveillance program conducted by the Vector-borne Disease Section of the California Department of Public Health. Veterinarians submitted 5 samples from domestic pets. Plague was confirmed in one domestic cat from Kern County. Plague antibodies were detected in 37 of 335 coyotes, 12 of 47 black bears, and one of 4 gray foxes. Among wild rodents, antibodies were detected in 23 of 432 California ground squirrels, and one of 237 chipmunks. Additionally, samples from 124 feral pigs were negative. All data from 2007 Annual Report, Vector-Borne Disease Section, California Department of Public Health.
A summary of the blood samples tested are shown in the following table:
|
County
|
Rodents
|
Carnivores
|
||||
|
Tested
|
Positive
|
Species
|
Tested
|
Positive
|
Species
|
|
| Alameda |
4
|
0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Butte |
6
|
0 | ||||
| El Dorado |
29
|
0 | ||||
| Fresno |
23
|
0 | ||||
| Imperial |
25
|
0 | ||||
| Inyo |
153
|
18 |
California ground squirrel
|
|||
| 1 |
Chipmunk
|
|||||
| Kern |
7
|
0 | 144 | 2 |
Coyote
|
|
|
1
|
Domestic cat
|
|||||
| Lassen |
1
|
0 | ||||
| Los Angeles |
5
|
0 | 24 | 0 | ||
| Madera |
24
|
0 | ||||
| Mariposa |
4
|
0 | 34 | 2 |
Black bear
|
|
| Mendocino | 12 | 0 | ||||
| Modoc | 43 | 16 |
Coyote
|
|||
| Mono |
202
|
0 | ||||
| Monterey | 24 | |||||
| Napa |
30
|
0 | ||||
| Nevada |
4
|
0 | ||||
| Orange |
4
|
0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Placer | 5 | 0 | ||||
| Plumas |
1
|
0 | 63 | 8 |
Black bear
|
|
|
13
|
Coyote
|
|||||
|
1
|
Gray fox
|
|||||
| Riverside |
119
|
0 | ||||
| San Benito | 6 | 0 | ||||
| San Bernardino |
189
|
3 |
California ground squirrel
|
|||
| San Diego |
21
|
2 |
California ground squirrel
|
8 | 0 | |
| San Francisco | 2 | 0 | ||||
| San Joaquin | 6 | 0 | ||||
| San Luis Obispo |
12
|
0 | 34 | 0 | ||
| Santa Barbara |
1
|
0 | 13 | 0 | ||
| Shasta |
1
|
0 | ||||
| Sierra |
2
|
0 | 22 | 2 |
Black bear
|
|
|
6
|
Coyote
|
|||||
| Siskiyou |
16
|
0 | 4 | 0 | ||
| Tuolumne |
26
|
0 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Ventura |
30
|
0 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Yuba |
|
|
3 | 0 |
|
|
| Totals |
914
|
24
|
482
|
51
|
||
Plague testing 2004
The California Department of Public Health routinely tests various types of animals for evidence of infection by plague bacilli. The map displays data for 2004 for tests on carnivores, rodents, and pets.[wmap id="Plague_positives_2004"]
[width]100%[/width]
[height]400px[/height]
[center]37.16031654673677,-119.2236328125[/center]
[scale]5[/scale]
[align]center[/align]
[togglesize]Large[/togglesize]
[basetoggle]on[/basetoggle]
[scaletoggle]on[/scaletoggle]
[basetype]Map[/basetype]
[drag]yes[/drag]
[overlays toggle="true"]
[markers id="blue" name="Carnivore"]
[icon]blue[/icon]
[file]
[source]http://www.calsurv.org/sites/calsurv.org/files/u7/plague_data_2004.csv[/source]
[display]specimen,group[/display]
[latitude]latitude[/latitude]
[longitude]longitude[/longitude]
[filter]group=Carnivore[/filter]
[/file]
[/markers]
[markers id="orange" name="Rodent"]
[icon]orange[/icon]
[file]
[source]http://www.calsurv.org/sites/calsurv.org/files/u7/plague_data_2004.csv[/source]
[display]specimen,group[/display]
[latitude]latitude[/latitude]
[longitude]longitude[/longitude]
[filter]group=Rodent[/filter]
[/file]
[/markers]
[markers id="green" name="Pet"]
[icon]green[/icon]
[file]
[source]http://www.calsurv.org/sites/calsurv.org/files/u7/plague_data_2004.csv[/source]
[display]specimen,group[/display]
[latitude]latitude[/latitude]
[longitude]longitude[/longitude]
[filter]group=Pet[/filter]
[/file]
[/markers]
[/overlays]
[/wmap]