US health authorities have announced that a patient living in Oregon has contracted bubonic plague. He was probably infected by his cat.
- A human case of bubonic plague has been recorded in the United States.
- The American patient was potentially infected by his cat.
- If left untreated, bubonic plague can develop into septicemia or pneumonic plague, two diseases with serious consequences.
For the first time in eight years, a case of bubonic plague has been recorded in the United States, in Oregon. Rare in developed countries, the plague is nevertheless classified as a re-emerging disease. There are two forms of the disease: bubonic (contracted by flea bite) and pulmonary (transmitted by air). Bubonic plague is the most common clinical form.
Bubonic plague: an infection probably caused by a cat
According to local health authorities, the patient, residing in Deschutes County located in the northwest of the United States, is being treated. He was probably infected by his cat. “All close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and given medication to prevent illness”, announced Doctor Richard Fawcett, health officer for Deschutes County. No other cases of plague were observed during the investigation.
Bubonic plague results in a very severe infectious syndrome including high fever as well as a significant deterioration in general condition, accompanied by swollen and painful lymph nodes. “In 20 to 40% of cases, the bubo suppurates and the patient recovers after a fairly long convalescence time,” has indicated the Pasteur Institute. If left untreated, bubonic plague can develop into septicemia, an infection of the bloodstream, or pneumonic plague. These two forms of the disease are much more serious, because they can lead to the death of the patient if no treatment is put in place.
A case of bubonic plague which “poses little risk to the community”
Concerning the American patient, he was quickly taken care of. “Fortunately, this case was identified and treated in the early stages of the disease, posing little risk to the community“, said health authorities in a press release. Each year, approximately seven cases of plague in humans are recorded in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).
