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County health officials are warning the public to avoid contact with the common California ground squirrel after detecting plague in three of the animals trapped in two local campgrounds near Palomar Mountain. Two squirrels were trapped during routine testing at Cedar Grove Campground. A third infected squirrel was trapped at nearby Doane Valley Campground. The most common way to get plague from a squirrel is to be bitten by a flea that has recently been dining on squirrel blood, said Chris Conlan, supervising vector ecologist for the county's Vector Control Program. "Luckily, the fleas that are transferring plague from squirrel to squirrel much prefer to bite squirrels instead of people," Conlan said. Though a flea bite is the most common way for the plague to infect a human, a direct animal bite could also cause an infection, Conlan said. Fleas that start out on squirrels can also transfer to other wild animals and even family pets, Conlan warned. The county usually detects a few plague cases during routine squirrel monitoring each year, though none were detected in 2011. Related SoCal squirrel plague no laughing matter. Or is it? Though the ecologist said he was aware of no human plague cases in San Diego County, cases have cropped up in other parts of the state. In 2006, for example, a 28-year-old Los Angeles woman tested positive for plague after being hospitalized with fever, septic shock and painful swelling, according to a report published by the Los Angeles Department of Public Health. She survived after undergoing treatment with two types of antibiotics. An investigation later found that she had handled raw rabbit meat that came from Kern County where plague had been detected. A report published by the California Department of Public Health states that there have been 62 human plague cases reported in California from 1926 to 2013. Of those 39 survived and 23 died. Citing "confidentiality issues" the state agency declined to provide information on where the deaths occurred, but did provide a total number of cases per county. From 1926 to 2013 Kern County had the most confirmed cases with 9 and San Diego County had zero. To avoid the disease, health officials caution against feeding. touching, or camping near the burrows of wild animals. Touching sick or dead animals is also a risk, and household pets should be protected with flea control medication and kept out of areas where plague has been detected. Symptoms of plague infection include the sudden onset of fever and chills and tender, swollen lymph nodes. Those who experience these symptoms one week after visiting an area known to have the plague should immediately contact their doctor.