THE ESSENTIAL
- Bubonic plague caused 3,248 infections worldwide between 2010 and 2015.
- Human-to-human transmissions remain rare.
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In a statement dated August 17, health officials in El Dorado County, northeastern California, saida case of bubonic plague. The patient, whose identity has not been disclosed, is a resident of the city of South Lake Tahoe, a tourist spot because it is close to the lake of the same name. Hospitalized at home, his life is not in danger.
The first case in five years
Bubonic plague is caused by the bite of an infected flea. The bacillus, Y. pestis, enters the body during the bite, passes through the lymphatic system and reaches the nearest node where it replicates. This results in inflammation of the ganglion with painful tension of the tissues: this is called the “bubo”. In the advanced stage, the inflamed nodes eventually ulcerate and suppurate. Bubonic plague can progress and spread to the lungs: it is called pulmonary plague, the most serious form of plague.
If the health authorities do not know how the patient got infected, they assume he was bitten by a flea while walking his dog. This is the first case of plague in the state of California since 2015, where two hikers contracted the plague in Yosemite National Park, east of San Francisco.
Rare but serious cases
If cases of human-to-human transmission of bubonic plague are rare, health authorities have called for caution. “Cases of plague are extremely rare in humans but can be terribly serious, recalled Dr Nancy Williams, El Dorado County Public Health Officer. It is really important that people take precautions for themselves but also for their pets when they are outside. This is especially true when, for example, walking, hiking or camping in areas where many rodents live in the wild. “
According to World Health Organization (WHO), 3,248 cases of plague were recorded worldwide between 2010 and 2015, including 584 fatalities. The three main known foci are Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Peru.
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