Earlier this year, a resident in Oregon contracted bubonic plague. Now, health officials in Pueblo County, Colorado, have confirmed the same – a resident there has been diagnosed with the disease.
While the details surrounding how the Pueblo County resident contracted the plague haven’t been revealed, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explained that the illness is most common in rural areas of the western part of the country.
It’s also important to note that there are approximately seven cases of bubonic plague recorded in the U.S. each year, with 500 cases on record between 1970 and 2022. This marks the third case of bubonic plague in the United States in 2024.
How do you get bubonic plague?
“The plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) is transmitted by fleas and cycles naturally among wild rodents,” Pueblo County health officials wrote in a statement. “Plague occurs naturally and can infect humans and their pets. People get plague from bites of infected fleas, by touching or skinning infected animals, or inhaling droplets from the cough of an infected person or animal.”
To help keep consumers prevent the spread of bubonic plague, the Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment (PDPHE) shared its best tips for staying healthy:
Remove brush, rock piles, trash, piles of lumber, etc. from around your home. This will prevent rodents from breeding or hiding in the area around your home.
Avoid contact with dead animals.
Don’t let pets sleep in bed with you.
Keep pet food in rodent-proof containers.
Use insect repellent that’s 20-30% DEET to prevent flea bites.
Treat pets for fleas regularly.
Keep pets away from dead animals and rodent areas.
What to do if you experience plague-related symptoms
According to both the CDC and the PDPHE, the most common signs and symptoms of plague include: fever, chills, weakness, headache, and one or more swollen, painful lymph nodes.
It typically takes between two and eight days for consumers to show signs of symptoms after either being bitten by an infected flea or coming into contact with an infected animal.
Health officials encourage consumers to contact a health provider as soon as possible if they develop any of these symptoms, as time is of the essence in treating the bubonic plague. One of the biggest risks is the infection spreading to other parts of the body.
“If you develop symptoms of plague, see a health care provider immediately,” said Alicia Solis, program manager of the Office of Communicable Diseases and Emergency Preparedness at PDPHE. “Plague can be treated successfully with antibiotics, but an infected person must be treated promptly to avoid serious complications or death.”