Are the groundhogs in "Nezha 2" too cute? Keep away! They can also spread the plague

Recently, the marmot family in the movie "Nezha 2" has quickly become popular on the Internet with its cute image, and even triggered a craze of "everyone raising marmots". However, just as everyone was attracted by the cuteness of marmots, the National Health Commission and the National Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued an urgent reminder: marmots are the natural hosts of Yersinia pestis, and close contact with marmots poses a huge health risk.

The relationship between groundhogs and plague

Groundhogs, scientifically known as marmots, are large rodents that live in northwest my country, mainly in Inner Mongolia, Xinjiang, Gansu, Qinghai, Sichuan, Tibet, etc. They look cute, but they are the natural hosts of Yersinia pestis. In my country, natural plague foci are widely distributed, and groundhogs are the main host animals in these foci.

How plague spreads

Plague is a highly contagious disease with an acute onset, strong infectiousness, and a very high mortality rate. It is a Class A infectious disease. The main ways of transmission of plague are as follows:

Transmission by vector-borne organisms : This is the main mode of plague transmission. Fleas that parasitize on marmots are infected with plague bacteria and can spread plague by biting humans.

Transmission by contact : Direct contact with infected marmots, or contact with the excrement and secretions of plague patients, the bacteria can enter the human body through skin wounds or mucous membranes.

Droplet transmission : The respiratory secretions of patients with pneumonic plague contain a large number of plague bacteria. The droplets released by patients when breathing or coughing can be inhaled by others, thus spreading the plague.

How to Prevent Plague

Although plague can be spread in many ways, you can effectively avoid infection by taking the following preventive measures:

Avoid contact : Stay away from groundhogs and their burrows. Do not catch or feed groundhogs.

Personal protection : When outdoors, wear long-sleeved clothing and use insect repellent to prevent flea bites.

Environmental hygiene : Keep the living environment clean to prevent the breeding of rodents and fleas.

Health monitoring : If you have come into contact with a marmot and develop symptoms such as high fever or swollen lymph nodes, you should seek medical attention immediately and inform your doctor of your exposure history.

Things to note when traveling

If you plan to travel to an area where marmots are found, be sure to keep the following in mind:

Minimize contact with groundhogs and avoid handling groundhogs whose health status is unknown.

Take precautions against flea bites by using repellents and reducing skin exposure.

Do not hunt or eat wild animals such as marmots without permission.

Plague is preventable and curable

Although plague is dangerous, it is not incurable. It is an ancient bacterial infectious disease that can be treated clinically with a variety of effective antibiotics. As long as patients can seek medical treatment early and receive standardized and effective treatment, the cure rate is very high. Suspected contacts can also avoid the disease by taking preventive medication.

Conclusion

Groundhogs may be cute, but the plague bacteria they carry can be deadly. While admiring their cute appearance, we hope that everyone will keep their distance and avoid unnecessary health risks.