Plague confirmed in Colorado Springs deer

El Paso County Public Health says a deer that was found in a west side neighborhood has tested positive for plague.

The deer was found in Pleasant Valley on June 19. It tested positive for plague on June 26.

This is the first time plague activity has been confirmed in El Paso County this year.

Plague is a bacterial disease transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected flea, or by handling an infected animal. Taking steps to avoid flea exposure will help prevent spread of the disease.

To keep your family and pets safe, please follow the following precautions:

Avoid fleas. Protect pets with flea powder, and keep pets on a leash and out of wild rodent habitats.
Stay out of areas that wild rodents inhabit. If you enter areas with wild rodents, wear insect repellent and tuck pant cuffs into socks to prevent flea bites.
Avoid all contact with wild animals; do not feed or handle them. Do not touch sick or dead animals. Prevent rodent infestations around your house: clear plants and materials away from outside walls, reduce access to food items. Treat known rodent sites around your home with flea powder or a suitable insecticide.

Don’t attempt to catch, feed, handle or exterminate prairie dogs or any type of squirrel, chipmunk, rabbit or other wild animal.

In humans, the symptoms of plague infection are high fever, chills, headache, extreme fatigue and tender or swollen lymph glands. If you experience these symptoms, contact your physician. El Paso County’s last reported human case occurred in 1991.

Plague is endemic in El Paso County and precautions to prevent plague should always be taken. For more information about plague, visit Public Health’s website.