Reduce exposure.Take practical steps.

Around wildlife and outdoors

Avoid handling sick or dead animals. Ask the local health department about safe disposal. In places where flea exposure is possible, use an appropriate repellent according to its label. CDC distinguishes skin repellents from permethrin products intended for clothing.

At home and with pets

Reduce places where rodents can shelter and keep animal food from attracting them. Veterinary flea control helps protect pets and reduces fleas entering the home.

• Clear clutter and secure potential food sources around buildings.
• Seek veterinary care promptly if a pet becomes ill.
• In endemic areas, keep freely roaming cats and dogs out of your bed.

If you are identified as a contact

Follow the public-health team’s instructions about monitoring, reporting symptoms and any preventive medication. Contact assessment is specific to an exposure. A headline about a distant case is not, by itself, a reason to take antibiotics.

Before travel or outdoor activities

Check current local health advice for the place you will visit. WHO advises awareness of areas where plague is active and avoiding contact with rodents, fleas and potentially infected materials. A country name in the news does not describe conditions in every region.

Common questions