An Oregonian contracted bubonic plague for the first time in nearly a decade – and it was likely contracted by their cat.
A “local resident” of Deschutes County — a rural part of central Oregon — is believed to be the only person infected, health officials announced Wednesday.
Other than symptomatic pets, that is.
“All close contacts of residents and their pets have been contacted and given medication to prevent illness,” Deschutes County Health Officer Dr. Richard Fawcett said in a statement.
The condition of the person and their cat is not yet known, but officials say the case was diagnosed and treated early, posing little risk to the community.
Bubonic plague – famous for ravaging Europe in the 14th century – was carried by squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents as well as their ticks. When infected mice become sick and die, their ticks can spread the infection to other animals or humans through bites.
Those infected have a high fever, lethargy and swollen lymph nodes called buboes. Symptoms appear between two and eight days after exposure.
An Oregonian contracted bubonic plague, officials confirmed this week. Dr_Microbe – stock.adobe.com
Although there is no vaccine, this outbreak can be treated with antibiotics if detected early. It can be fatal if left untreated.
The confirmed case is the first to hit the state since 2015, when a teenage girl contracted the disease from a tick bite during a hunting trip.
There have been only nine human cases of plague in Oregon since 1995, with no deaths reported.
Officials said the person was “likely” infected by their pet cat. phantom_rd – stock.adobe.com
Getting infected with bubonic plague is extremely rare in the US, with an average of 5 to 15 cases occurring each year in the West, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The disease is usually found in rural to semi-rural areas where wild rats are more common.
Officials recommend people avoid any contact with wild rodents, especially sick or dead ones, and not to feed squirrels or squirrels. People should also keep their pets away from wild rodents to avoid infection.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
