US man contracts plague after bitten by a cat

[Still Waters]

According to The Oregonian, the unnamed man in his 50s was bitten whilst trying to remove a mouse from the cat's mouth.

After being bitten the man developed swollen lymph nodes which is a recognised symptom of the bubonic plague. Whilst in hospital, he developed the septicemic form of the disease that causes the victim to bleed from the mouth, nose or rectum. He is now in a critical condition and undergoing intensive treatment at St. Charles Medical Centre in Bend.

http://www.telegraph...cts-plague.html

[Ealdwita]

The 14th.Cent. plagues that decimated Europe consisted of 3 Yersinia pestis- caused infections, namely the best-known Bubonic (Which is very difficult to catch except through the direct bite from an infected animal) and which attacks the lymphatic system, the more virulent Pneumonic, which attacks and destroys the respiratory system, and the rarest but most virulent of the three - Septicemic, which attacks the blood stream.

I would suggest that either the rat was still alive and delivered the bite directly, or the cat had drawn the blood of the rat which entered the man's blood stream by way of the cat's bite to his hand. Either way, I don't envy him. Treatment (if administered withing 12 hours of being bitten is usually streptomycin.)

The bite most likely to cause septicemia BTW? Human!

[Coffey]

The bite most likely to cause septicemia BTW? Human!

Seriously?

Zombie outbreaks in films start with loads of weird stories on the news that everyone brushes under the carpet......

Not saying it will happen on I beleive it will, but all these stories lately have been a bit creepy.

[Michelle]

Why in the heck was he trying to take a mouse out of a cat's mouth?

[EllJay]

Why in the heck was he trying to take a mouse out of a cat's mouth?

He was hungry??

[Gunn]

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Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Q-C]

This happened to a woman in WV (95% sure that was the state) not too long ago. She contracted the plague from her cat too.

[RotaryGraph]

one should never interfere a hunt of an animal cause things like this are bound to happen

[Paracelse]

Methink you guys got things wrong it's the cat who got bitten by the guy and not the other way around... purr poor kitty humans are so unkind

[ThickasaBrick]

Saving a mouse? Fairly sure if a guy tried taking my mouse away I would have bit him too.

[woopypooky]

it means that the bubonic plague never dies out. after 1000 years

[EllJay]

I'm actually surprised that so many of us humans still are alive.

I know we are fighting nature with science for every disease, and are pretty good at it.

But the self-correcting nature of the nature will get us in the end.

[pallidin]

Guess I never knew that plague even still existed.

[Skeptic Chicken]

Where did the cat get it from?

[minera]

we have to remember cats are animals and eat rodents. Unless it is an indoor cat he is not exposed to them. However, cats are hunters and prefer to hunt and return home to a safe place with their kill. Why would anyone risk getting bit when the cat just had a rodent in its mounth and why would the try to remove it in the first place. Stupidity at its best.

we have to remember cats are animals and eat rodents. Unless it is an indoor cat he is not exposed to them. However, cats are hunters and prefer to hunt and return home to a safe place with their kill. Why would anyone risk getting bit when the cat just had a rodent in its mounth and why would the try to remove it in the first place. Stupidity at its best.

[RedOctober]

This is really nothing new and not suprising. This bacteria is very popular amoung praire dogs as they are a carrier and is why there is usually signs to stay away from them when they are near public places. For example, a place I been to like this is Devil's Tower, WY. There is a field of them right off the road going in.

Also, this is why experts say when you get a cat bite you should call your doctor and they will usually give antibiotics as a precaution. Cats mouths are festered with all kinds of nasty bacteria but yeh, in most cases you either won't get infected enough or your body will just fight it off.

[Coffey]

Is that Cat infected, or was it the RAT and the cats teeth had the Rats blood etc on them which infected the man?

[King Fluffs]

Kill 'em both.

[EllJay]

Kill'em all , like Cliff Burton said.

[Troublehalf]

The mouse probably was the carrier and the cat gained it from holding it. It was unlucky, but there you go.

[Imaginarynumber1]

Just further proof that cats are, indeed, trying to kill us all.

[Beckys_Mom]

Why in the heck was he trying to take a mouse out of a cat's mouth?

I know lol..

[MindfieldzX]

we have to remember cats are animals and eat rodents. Unless it is an indoor cat he is not exposed to them. However, cats are hunters and prefer to hunt and return home to a safe place with their kill. Why would anyone risk getting bit when the cat just had a rodent in its mounth and why would the try to remove it in the first place. Stupidity at its best.

we have to remember cats are animals and eat rodents. Unless it is an indoor cat he is not exposed to them. However, cats are hunters and prefer to hunt and return home to a safe place with their kill. Why would anyone risk getting bit when the cat just had a rodent in its mounth and why would the try to remove it in the first place. Stupidity at its best.

did you enjoy hearing yourself twice. hehe

[csspwns]

teehee rodent lover <3

[DKO]

Kill 'em both.

Who? The man and the mouse?