Plague: Signs and Symptoms
Although plague isn’t extremely common in many of Arizona’s big game species, it is fairly common in our small game. Hunters need to be aware of which species are most susceptible to plague-carrying fleas.
Plague can be a very severe disease in humans, with a fatality rate of 50 percent if left untreated. Humans can contract the disease through a flea bite, direct contact with plague-infected rodents, or direct contact with affected non-rodent hosts such as rabbits and cats. Symptoms in humans are generally flu-like and typically appear within two to six days after exposure and include:
- Sudden onset of fever
- Chills
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach and/or back pain
- Weakness