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Volume 25, Number 4—April 2019
Dispatch

Pneumonic Plague in a Dog and Widespread Potential Human Exposure in a Veterinary Hospital, United States

Paula A. Schaffer1, Stephanie A. Brault1, Connor Hershkowitz1, Lauren Harris, Kristy Dowers, Jennifer House, Tawfik A. Aboellail, Paul S. Morley, and Joshua B. DanielsComments to Author 
Author affiliations: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA (P.A. Schaffer, S.A. Brault, C. Hershkowitz, L. Harris, K. Dowers, T.A. Aboellail, P.S. Morley, J.B. Daniels); Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, Denver, Colorado, USA (J. House)

Main Article

Table 2

Public health risk–based recommendations and interventions for persons exposed to dog with pneumonic plague, Colorado, USA*

Level of interaction with dog Recommended intervention No. (%) contacts reporting intervention
Exposure (<6 feet) to dog with pneumonic plague; exposure to exudates, blood, or tissue without barrier precautions; bite or scratch from infected dog or flea Antimicrobial drug prophylaxis 68 (59)†
Presence in critical care ward where dog was housed; exposure or contact after 48 h of appropriate patient antimicrobial drug treatment Fever and symptom watch 38 (33)
Persons who did not meet the above criteria No action (awareness education only) Remainder of employees, staff, and students

*Ten (8%) of 116 listed contacts did not report chosen intervention.
†Of respondents who specified type of antimicrobial drug therapy received, 37 received doxycycline only, 2 doxycycline and gentamicin, 1 doxycycline and ciprofloxacin, 1 doxycycline and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and 1 ciprofloxacin only.

Main Article

1These authors contributed equally to this article.

Page created: March 18, 2019
Page updated: March 18, 2019
Page reviewed: March 18, 2019
The conclusions, findings, and opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors' affiliated institutions. Use of trade names is for identification only and does not imply endorsement by any of the groups named above.
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