Officials: Rare form of plague killed Poudre student

A 16-year-old Poudre High School student who suddenly became ill this month died from a rare strain of plague. He is believed to have been the first Larimer County resident to have contracted the deadly disease since 1999, health officials say.

An investigation is ongoing, but it is believed that Taylor Gaes contracted the septicemic plague from fleas on a dead rodent or other animal on the family's land in the Cherokee Park area near Livermore, northwest of Fort Collins, Larimer County health officials confirmed to the Coloradoan Saturday. Septicemic plague occurs when bacteria enters the bloodstream directly — it is highly fatal and very rare in humans.

Officials now are warning people who visited the family's home after Gaes' June 8 death — the day after his 16th birthday — to be extra vigilant.

"There is a small chance that others might have been bitten by infected fleas, so anyone who was on the family's land in the last seven days should seek medical attention immediately if a fever occurs. The last exposure to others was likely on June 14," Larimer health officials said in a statement late Friday.

Individuals who attended memorial services June 10 and June 13 in Fort Collins are not at any risk, nor are people who came in contact with Gaes or his family and friends, officials said. The warning primarily targeted individuals who who attended the spreading of his ashes at the family's ranch.

The Larimer County Department of Health and Environment has teamed up with experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state health department and Larimer County Coroner's Office.

While Gaes is the first Larimer County resident confirmed to have contracted the plague since 1999, a Weld County resident was infected in 2004 while camping in the Red Feather Lakes area.

Plague, spread through rodent populations in a localized area, was found earlier this year in a remote are of Soapstone Natural Area that was not open to the public. Plague often results in sweeping animal "die-offs."

An average of seven human plague cases are reported each year across the country, according to the CDC. Affecting rural areas, plague cases are usually concentrated in the Four Corners region in the Southwest and parts of California, Oregon and western Nevada.

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Bubonic plague is the most common form of the disease's human form, accounting for about 80 percent of cases. Symptoms begin two to six days after the bite of an infected flea or contact with an infected rodent or cat. Typical symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, sudden onset of fever or chills, severe headache, extreme exhaustion, and a general feeling of illness.

Other forms of plague include septicemic plague — when bacteria enters the bloodstream — and pneumonic plague — when bacteria is inhaled. Neither form has localized signs to suggest plague or differentiate it from other illnesses.

Bubonic plague can be successfully treated when diagnosed promptly. For more information on plague, visit www.cdc.gov/plague.

More than $15,000 has been raised in an online fundraiser for Gaes' family.

The 16-year-old Poudre High football and baseball player had been fighting what his family thought were early symptoms of a "bad flu" in the days before his death, his father, Shannon Gaes, told the Coloradoan previously. Taylor had a high fever that came and went, and he complained of muscle aches and soreness.

Two days after first getting sick, the family had to leave a Colorado Rockies game in the fifth inning because Gaes was in too much pain. He appeared to be feeling better, and his parents put heating pads on his back — he and his dad watched comedy shows until 2 a.m.

"He was laughing. I was laughing," Shannon Gaes recalled.

But about 5:30 a.m. Monday, Taylor Gaes woke up his parents to tell them he had just coughed up blood.

Gaes and his mother, Dawn Gaes, got in their vehicle to head to Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins. Shannon Gaes had to be at work soon but thought, "Hell," and jumped in his truck to follow them.

"My wife didn't even make it to the hospital," he said.

Taylor stopped breathing on the 20-plus-mile drive and his wife pulled over at Jax Ranch & Home, near the intersection of Shields Street and U.S. Highway 287, to call an ambulance. They were 5 miles from Poudre Valley Hospital. He died moments later.

Reporter Jason Pohl covers breaking news for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter: @pohl_jason.

Tips to prevent plague

• Avoid contact with all sick and dead rodents and rabbits. Look for the presence of blow flies or dead animal smell as evidence of animal die-offs. Prairie dog colonies that suddenly are not active may also be due to plague activity in the area. Report such die-offs to Larimer County Health Department at970-498-6775.
• While hiking, treat pants, socks, shoe tops, arms and legs with insect repellents.
• Keep your pets from roaming and hunting and talk to your veterinarian about using an appropriate flea control product.
• Sick pets should be examined promptly by a veterinarian.
• If you hunt or trap rabbits or carnivorous wild animals, wear gloves and a respiratory mask while skinning or handling these animals. Fresh pelts may be treated with flea powder.
• Bites from wild carnivores and from cats and dogs have caused human plague. Such animals may be infected, carry the bacteria in their mouths or may transport infective fleas. If you are bitten, follow-up with your health care provider.
• Do not feed or entice any rodent or rabbit species into your yard, back porch, or patio.
• Eliminate rodent habitat, such as piles of lumber, broken cement, trash and weeds around your home, outbuildings and cabins.
• When outdoors, minimize exposure in rodent-infested areas. Do not catch, play with, or attempt to hand feed wild rodents.

Source: Larimer County Department of Health and Environment