The CDC says there are 37 cases of monkeypox, mainly in the Midwest. The skin lesions from monkeypos-infected prairie dogs are disgusting (here's a picture), which is another reason Gothamist never wants to touch anything that bears a passing resemblance to a rodent. A family in Wisconsin was just quaratined: "They said we can't leave until the scabs fall off the sores," said Tammy Kautzer, 28, of nearby Dorchester in central Wisconsin. "I only have a few more scabs to fall off. My daughter's are gone." Also, to think that authorities are "chasing down prairie dogs that may have been infected"...

In the insect threat category, there is the West Nile virus, which is expected to resurge this summer and already, the CDC says there are 24 cases. The CDC recommends to wear long sleeved clothing and long pants, as well as to stay. Unfortunately West Nile symptoms are mainly feeling flu-like, which Gothamist tends to feel as we over self-diagnose.

Prairie dogs, Gambian rats, mosquitoes - what next, your pet turtle? Gothamist is just glad that there are handy graphics to keep our paranoia high. Might we suggest health alert levels, like the terror alert, for certain plague-like diseases?