Public health officials in Arizona have confirmed that a human in the state has died from pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection caused by the same bacterium that caused the Black Death.
According to a Friday press release from the Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) department, test results confirmed that a resident there died from Yersinia pestis-caused pneumonic plague. Yersinia pestis also causes bubonic plague and septicemic plague, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Plague is infamous for killing millions of people in Europe during the Middle Ages,” said the centers. “Nowadays, it is a rare but persistent cause of illness in rural areas in the western United States and certain regions of Africa and Asia.”
It is also endemic to the Southwestern U.S. and the Coconino County health department maintains a surveillance system for it. However, the department noted that plague is rare in humans. In Coconino the last death from pneumonic plague was reported in 2007.
Animals are often infected through bites from infected fleas and humans can also become infected through flea bites or contact with sick animals. For example, the person who died in 2007 had contact with an infected animal. Regarding the recent case, local health officials said it is not related to a prairie dog die-off in the Townsend Winona area, northeast of Flagstaff, Ariz.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased,” said Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman of the recent death. “We are keeping them in our thoughts during this difficult time. Out of respect for the family, no additional information about the death will be released.”
In addition to being rare in cases, plague is not often transmitted from human to human, though it can in some cases spread through respiratory droplets. According to health officials, the last reported occurrence of human-to-human transmission was reported in 1924.
Health officials say the risk of plague exposure to the public is low. To reduce the risk, the CCHHS recommends: avoiding contact with wild animals, not touching dead or sick animals, avoiding fleas using insect repellent containing 20% to 30% DEET and tucking pant cuffs into socks, using veterinarian-approved flea treatments on pets and keeping pets away from wild rodents.
Additionally, the department urges local residents to report prairie dog die-offs. These animals are highly susceptible to plague and often die soon after infection. Sleeping near rodent burrows is not recommended. Removing brush, trash and other debris can also help reduce plague risk in the community, along with seeking prompt veterinary care for sick pets, especially cats.
If a human becomes infected with plague, symptoms usually appear within one to eight days and include fever, chills, headache, weakness, and muscle pain. Swollen lymph nodes called “buboes” can also be a sign of the disease. Plague can be cured with quick antibiotic treatment.
“Individuals with symptoms consistent with plague should contact a physician immediately and should provide their healthcare provider with information about possible exposure to rodents or fleas,” said the CCHHS. “Call ahead to your healthcare provider or healthcare facility to limit exposure to others.”