Since April 1, 11 people have been diagnosed with plague

Aug 26, 2015 16:04 GMT  ·  By

An unusually high number of plague cases has been documented in the US this year, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) cautions in a report released this Tuesday. 

Specifically, the CDC informs that, since April 1, a total of 11 people aged 14 to 79 have been diagnosed with plague. This figure is worryingly high, seeing how, between 1970 to 2012, the yearly average of plague cases was just 7.

At least for now, specialists can't say why so many plague cases have occurred in the US this year. “It is unclear why the number of cases in 2015 is higher than usual,” the CDC writes in its report.

Of the 11 plague cases recorded since April 1, two were documented in Arizona, one in California, four in Colorado, one in Georgia, two in New Mexico and one in Oregon. Of the patients, three died after contracting the disease.

Experts are still trying to figure out where these people might have come into contact with the plague bacterium. They have so far only managed to link the two cases in Georgia and California to the Yosemite National Park.

“The two cases in Georgia and California residents have been linked to exposures at or near Yosemite National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains of California,” the CDC informs.

Fleabites are the most common cause of plague 

Plague cases are the result of infection with a bacterium called Yersinia pestis. In turn, this bacterium is known to be carried and transmitted by rodents and their fleas. Hence, fleabites are considered the most common cause of plague.

All the same, specialists caution this disease can also be contracted when coming into contact with infected animals or contaminated tissues and bodily fluids. If left untreated, the disease results in death in 60% to 90% of cases. Modern antibiotics, however, have helped lower the death rate to 16%.

Plague symptoms include uneasiness, fever, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting. Bubonic plague, which accounts for 80% to 85% of cases, causes painful swelling of the lymph nodes, specialists with the CDC explain.

Then there's septicemic and pneumonic plague, which account for roughly 10% and 3% of cases, respectively. Septicemic plague is what happens when the bacterial infection spreads directly through the bloodstream and pneumonic plague means the infection first affects the patient's lungs.

Medical experts recommend that, to stay safe, people should avoid outdoor activities in regions where the disease is endemic, i.e. rural and semi-rural areas in the western US. Wearing long paints, using insect repellents and avoiding contact with animals that are either ill or dead is also recommended.

“Persons engaging in outdoor activities in areas where plague is endemic should wear long pants when possible and use insect repellent on clothing and skin. Persons also should avoid direct contact with ill or dead animals and never feed squirrels, chipmunks, or other rodents.”