Plague Management – Public Health Issues

• If plague is suspected in domestic cats following a bioterrorism event, it is important that samples be collected from these animals and submitted for diagnostic testing. Once collected, all diagnostic samples should be kept chilled, not frozen, and submitted as quickly as possible for testing as directed by the veterinary surveillance team.
• It is extremely important that members of the veterinary surveillance team and other public health officials be notified promptly when plague is suspected in a cat.
• Public health officials will assist with follow-up investigations and implementation of preventive measures at sites where cats might have been exposed.
• It also will help facilitate the identification of persons who might have been exposed to the infected animal so that appropriate preventive measures, including prophylactic antibiotic therapy, can be implemented.