
istock | Dr_Microbe
As reported by CNN, a person in Deschutes County, Ore., has been diagnosed with a case of bubonic plague, making them the state’s first confirmed case of this rare bacterial infection since 2015.
The person was probably infected by their cat, and “all close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and provided medication to prevent illness,” Dr. Richard Fawcett, the Deschutes County health officer, said in a statement last week.
The infected person was “treated in the earlier stages of the disease,” according to the statement, and poses “little risk” to the community.
About seven human plague cases are reported each year in the United States, primarily in rural Southwest and Northwest areas, according to the CDC.
Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Humans usually get it after being bitten by a flea that is carrying the bacterium or after encountering an infected animal.
Get curated news on YOUR industry.
Enter your email to receive our newsletters.Loading...
Latest from Pest Control Technology
- All-American Pest Control Celebrates Employees at Annual Awards Ceremony
- NEPMA PestVets Unit Collects Food and Clothing Items for Veterans
- When Can a Site Be Declared 'Bed Bug-Free?'
- PestWorld East 2025 Program Announced
- Hygiene IQ Uses Smart Sensor Technology to Detect Rodents
- Rollins Acquires Saela Pest Control
- PCT Spotlights Leaders in Pest Management for Women’s History Month
- Honey Bee Colony Losses Could Reach up to 70 Percent, WSU Researchers Report