New Delhi: The US state of Oregon has reported its first human case of bubonic plague in more than eight years, with health officials citing possible transmission from a domestic cat showing symptoms.
Injured residents and their sick pets received immediate medical treatment, reducing the risk to the public, according to officials.
The incident marks the first outbreak in Oregon since 2015, when a teenage girl became ill from a tick bite. The state has reported only nine human cases since 1995 and no deaths, making the disease extremely rare.
What is bubonic plague?
The bubonic plague, known for its historical impact on Europe in the 14th century in the form of the Black Death, was transmitted via wild rodents and fleas. When infected rodents die from the disease, fleas can transmit the disease to other animals or humans through bites. Symptoms, including a high temperature and swollen lymph nodes, can appear within two to eight days after exposure. Although the disease is fatal if left untreated, early diagnosis allows effective treatment with antibiotics.
How common is this disease?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports an annual average of 5 to 15 cases in the western United States, where the disease is usually found in rural and semi-rural areas where wild rodent populations occur.
widespread
Bubonic plague in the United States
Although the United States records an average of seven human cases of plague each year, hotspots remain concentrated in rural areas of the West, especially in states such as northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, southern Colorado, California, southern Oregon, and western Nevada.
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2024-02-10 18:05:33
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