A New Mexico man has died from complications of the bubonic plague, marking the state’s first BP-related fatality since 2020.
“The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) announces a Lincoln County man has died of plague after being hospitalized for the disease. The case is the first human case of plague in New Mexico since 2021 and the first death since 2020,” the New Mexico Department of Health announced.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to the family of the Lincoln County man who succumbed to plague,” said State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps, DVM, MPH.
“This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the threat posed by this ancient disease and emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and proactive measures to prevent its spread,” Phipps added.
US patient dead from bubonic plague as concerns rise over ‘ongoing risk’ of rodent-borne disease pic.twitter.com/UybF7IWuOG
— New York Post (@nypost) March 11, 2024
Cont. from the New Mexico Department of Health:
Plague is a bacterial disease of rodents and is generally spread to humans through the bites of infected fleas. It can also spread by direct contact with infected animals, including rodents, wildlife and pets.
Dogs and cats that are allowed to roam and hunt can bring infected fleas from dead rodents back into the home, putting household members at risk.
NMDOH staff is conducting outreach to area residents. An environmental assessment will also be conducted in the community to look for ongoing risk.
Symptoms of plague in humans include sudden onset of fever, chills, headache and weakness. In most cases there is a painful swelling of the lymph node in the groin, armpit or neck areas. Plague symptoms in cats and dogs include fever, lethargy and loss of appetite. There may be a swelling in the lymph node under the jaw.
US patient died from bubonic plague, marking the first recorded case in New Mexico since 2021 pic.twitter.com/CklpB5KfB6
— Voice of Europe 🌍 (@V_of_Europe) March 11, 2024
“Contracting the bubonic plague in the U.S. is extremely rare, with an average of five to 15 cases occurring each year in the West,” the New York Post wrote.
More info from the New York Post:
The bubonic plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, a bacterium that likely arrived in North America circa 1900 from rats that had stowed away aboard steamships coming from Southeast Asia.
Since then, the disease has become endemic to ground squirrels and rodents in the rural southwestern U.S., where the majority of the cases occur.
Once infected, patients experience a plethora of symptoms ranging from fever and chills to swollen lymph nodes known as buboes, from which the disease takes its name.
“The buboes form at the site of the bite from the infected rodent or flea,” explained Erica Susky, a certified infection control practitioner based in Canada.
While there is no vaccine, the plague can be remedied with antibiotics if caught early.
However, it can also become fatal if left untreated.
“Bubonic plague is a serious infectious illness alone, but can also develop quickly into more severe and deadly forms of plague,” Susky warned. “More serious forms include pneumonic and septicemic plague, which is where the bacteria invade the lungs and bloodstream.”
Last month, Oregon reported its first case of bubonic plague in nearly a decade.
Case Of Bubonic Plague Detected In United States
