{"id":2773,"date":"2015-02-06T03:15:22","date_gmt":"2015-02-06T08:15:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.allisonpest.com\/blog\/?p=2773"},"modified":"2015-02-06T10:53:17","modified_gmt":"2015-02-06T15:53:17","slug":"believe-it-or-not-squirrels-can-carry-the-plague","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/new.allisonpest.com\/blog\/2015\/02\/06\/believe-it-or-not-squirrels-can-carry-the-plague\/","title":{"rendered":"Believe It or Not Squirrels Can Carry the Plague"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Squirrels<\/a>
Squirrels May Carry the Plague!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When you hear the word “plague”, it usually conjures up thoughts of medieval times during the\u00a0Middle Ages. In reality, plague is a health threat that still exists today. Even more surprising is the fact that it can be transmitted by a common but\u00a0unlikely source.<\/p>\n

Squirrels, along with chipmunks and other rodents, have been found to be carriers of the bacteria that causes plague<\/a>. In 2012, public health officials in California’s El Dorado County were faced with an outbreak of hantavirus<\/a>, a disease that produces flu-like symptoms which can sometimes be fatal. Several cases were traced back to Yosemite National Park, with five connected to the “signature tent cabins” of the Curry Village campground, one of the park’s most popular sites.<\/p>\n

The California Department of Public Health regularly monitors rodents for plague. They offer the following tips to prevent becoming infected:<\/p>\n