Human Plague Case in Oregon Likely Spread by Pet Cat, Health Officials Report

A person in Deschutes County, Ore., has been diagnosed with a case of bubonic plague, making that person the state’s first confirmed case of this rare bacterial infection since 2015.

Plague bacterium Yersinia pestis, scientifically accurate 3D illustration showing structure of the cell with DNA, plasmids and ribosomes https://www.deschutes.org/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident Human Plague Case in Oregon Likely Spread by Pet Cat, Health Officials Report A person in Deschutes County, Oregon, 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. Common antibiotics like gentamicin and fluoroquinolones are first-line treatment for plague, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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.
Plague bacterium Yersinia pestis, scientifically accurate 3D illustration showing structure of the cell with DNA, plasmids and ribosomes https://www.deschutes.org/health/page/deschutes-county-confirms-case-human-plague-local-resident Human Plague Case in Oregon Likely Spread by Pet Cat, Health Officials Report A person in Deschutes County, Oregon, 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. Common antibiotics like gentamicin and fluoroquinolones are first-line treatment for plague, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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.
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Posted by Posted by the PCT Staff

Published February 13, 2024 | Updated February 14, 2024

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.

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