According to a statement from the El Dorado County Department of Health and Human Services, a California resident tested positive for plague on Monday, August 17, 2020, marking the first human case of the disease in the state in five. years. He is from South Lake Tahoe.
The individual is described as an “avid walker”, and therefore may have been bitten by an infected flea while walking his dog in the Tahoe Keys area, or along the “Truckee River Corridor”, north of highway 50.
« Plague occurs naturally in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County Said Nancy Williams, public health official for El Dorado County. ” It is important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when they are outdoors, especially when walking, hiking and / or camping in areas where wild rodents are here. Human cases of plague are extremely rare, but can be very serious », She added.
The patient is currently recovering at home and under the supervision of health professionals. You should know that the plague is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, and the disease is widely known to have caused the Black Death in Europe in the 1300s.
But even today the infection still occurs, although it is relatively rare and usually treatable with common antibiotics. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the United States, about seven cases of plague occur each year, on average.
How does the plague infect humans?
According to the CDC, humans can contract plague through flea bites or through contact with tissues or bodily fluids of an infected animal. The last known cases of the plague in California occurred in 2015 in two visitors to Yosemite National Park.
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A number of factors may play a role in when and where plague cases appear, including human or rodent behavior, as well as weather conditions, as warmer temperatures are favorable for the disease. flea activity.
The most common type of plague in the United States, and generally in a natural environment, is known as bubonic plague, and can cause fever, nausea, weakness, and swollen and painful lymph nodes (called buboes). This type of plague, which is not contagious, is usually caused by a flea bite.
According to the press release, here’s how to prevent plague infections:
- Avoid contact with wild rodents (including sick, injured or dead rodents).
- Keep pets away from rodent burrows.
- Keep animals on a leash outside.
- Wear pants and apply insect repellent if possible to reduce flea exposure.
Source : El Dorado County Department of Health and Human Services
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