Arizona officials are taking precautions after finding fleas
collected in Picture Canyon northeast of Flagstaff have tested
positive for plague.
The Arizona Daily Sun reported Friday that the County Public Health
Services District is conducting additional tests and disinfecting
prairie dog burrows.
Public health officials collected the fleas around trails in the
popular hiking area after noticing some prairie dogs dying off.
The positive test is the first sign of plague activity in the county
since last September in Doney Park.
Officials are advising residents to take precautions such as using
insect repellent and to avoid handling sick or dead animals.
Symptoms of plague appear within two to six days after initial
exposure. They can include fever, chills, swollen lymph glands and
muscle pain.