Plague: a veterinary perspective

Zoonosis Update EpidemiologyPlague is a seasonal disease, with most reported human cases occurring between March and October.Yersinia pestis is endemic to the western half of the United States and has been isolated as far east as Dallas and the western edges of Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and South Dakota.From 1970 to 2001, plague was reported in 377 humans in the United States; most cases were in New Mexico (201 cases), followed by Arizona (55), Colorado (42), and California (37).a Other states that have reported human cases of plague include Idaho, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.Approximately 15% of reported humans with plague die.6 Domestic animals such as cats and dogs are mostPlague: a veterinary perspective