California Black Squirrel Carrier Discovered

According to a report published by the LA Times, tests on a squirrel captured in Los Angeles found that the animal is infected with the organism causing bubonic plague, the same disease that killed about 200 million people in Europe in the 14th century and became known. like Black Death. In addition to this animal, two other dogs - found in New Mexico - were also identified with the same problem.

Flea infested squirrel Image Source: Reproduction / The Verge

According to the experts, it is a genetically very similar variety to 14th century bacteria. This means that the body causes bubonic plague and remains the same one that has caused so many deaths in the past. Regarding the possibility of an epidemic occurring, experts say there is nothing to fear, as isolated cases of plague - in wild animals, domestic animals and humans - occur every year.

Landing in America

The plague was introduced to our continent around the year 1900, and between 1999 and 2010 there were 999 cases in the US - probable and confirmed - of infected humans. Here in Brazil it arrived in 1899 and, according to the Ministry of Health, between 1935 and 2007, there were 7, 050 infected throughout the country.

There is currently treatment for the plague, most often given through antibiotics. Still, the disease is quite serious, and if left unchecked early on, it can be fatal. Caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, it is usually passed to humans through flea bites - usually present in rodents - infected.

Symptoms

Triumph of Death, Pieter Bruegel, 1562. Image source: Reproduction / Wikipedia

Once in the body, Y. pestis causes lymph nodes to swell, causing lumps to develop in the groin, armpits and neck. In addition, patients may also have fever, headaches, extreme weakness and muscle pain. If the infected person does not receive treatment, the bacteria can settle in the major organs within 1 to 6 days, and after reaching the lungs, the disease becomes highly contagious.

At this stage, plague can cause death in as little as three days, although antibiotic treatment reduces the incidence of deaths to 11%. Other serious problems arising from infection are septicemia - a widespread infection of the body - and gangrene.

Bioterrorism

Masks worn by ancient physicians Image source: Reproduction / Wikipedia

As The Verge pointed out, although some isolated outbreaks of plague occur around the world, the fact that the disease is so contagious has raised several warnings that it could be used as a biological weapon. There are even reports - denied by the World Health Organization - that an al-Qaeda group attempted an attack with Y. pestis in 2009.

With respect to addressing the country's vulnerability to a potential black plague-containing biological weapons attack, the US government has already received harsh criticism. In the case of the Los Angeles squirrel, local officials closed three parks for a week to wipe out fleas and prevent the disease from spreading. And you reader, do you think we have reason to worry? Be sure to tell us in the comments.