 You may have heard the nursery rhyme ring around the rosy when you were a child. Did you know that historians associate that fun children's rhyme with the great plague that caused devastation across Africa, Asia, and Europe? It is clearly a far less common occurrence in our modern times, but it is a disease that people should still be aware of. Plague is a bacterial disease transmitted by fleas that feed on rodents such as chipmunks, prairie dogs, ground squirrels, race rats, and other mammals that are carriers of the bacteria. Humans and pets become at risk of plague when they are in close contact with rodents or animals infected with this disease or bitten directly by fleas. You should always be cautious around rodents, avoid any unnecessary contact with them, and be aware of areas where plague could be present. You should use flea repellents on your pets and properly dispose of rodent carcasses that pets bring in or are near your residence. It is important to keep living areas clean and free of rodents because outbreaks usually occur where sanitation conditions are poor. As of 1978, there have only been six confirmed human cases of plague in Wyoming. So there's little need to keep your pockets full of posies. From the University of Wyoming Extension, I'm Blake Hotman, Exploring the Nature of Wyoming.