Oregon health officials are working hard to contain the bubonic plague outbreak. the first time it has been detected in humans since 2015.
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According to the follow-up carried out so far, the An unknown resident contracted the plague from his cat, which showed various symptoms of the disease.
“All close contacts of the resident and his pet have been contacted and medications provided to prevent illness,” health officials said in a statement.
Until nowAccording to the authorities, there is only a low risk for the population of contracting the infection.n, since the case was identified and treated in the early stages of the disease, and no further cases of plague have emerged during the investigation of communicable diseases.
Bubonic plague can develop into septic plague (bloodstream infection) and/or pneumonic plague (lung infection).more serious and difficult to treat if not diagnosed in time.
This is the first case of bubonic plague in Oregon since a 16-year-old boy contracted the disease in 2015.. On that occasion, the teenager became ill after being bitten by an infected flea during a hunting trip near Heppner, Morrow County.
There have been eight cases in the state in the last 20 years, none of which were fatal.
In 2012, an Oregon man lost his fingers and toes to the plague. He also made his cat sick after trying to remove a mouse from its throat.
What is bubonic plague?
Bubonic plague is a bacterial infectious disease It is transmitted by squirrels and other wild rodents through fleas.
If an infected rodent becomes sick and dies, its fleas can spread the infection to other animals or people through their bites.
If detected early, the disease can be treated with antibiotics, but if left untreated it can be fatal.. Bubonic plague is characterized by high fever, lethargy, and swollen lymph nodes. To date there is no vaccine against the plague.
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Officials recommend people avoid all contact with wild rodents, especially sick or dead ones, and never feed squirrels or chipmunks.
Pet owners are also advised to keep their pets away from wild rodents to avoid infections.
*brc