| U.S. Alert |
🔬 What Is Bubonic Plague?
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Caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, a gram-negative rod spread primarily via infected fleas that bite rodents and occasionally humans.
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The bacteria travel to nearby lymph nodes, causing painful, swollen lumps known as buboes, typically in the groin, armpits, or neck.
🧾 Symptoms & Forms
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Bubonic: Fever, chills, headache, weakness, and tender buboes. Appears 1–7 days post-exposure.
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Septicemic: Blood infection—fever, abdominal pain, shock, possible gangrene or bleeding.
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Pneumonic: Lung infection—fever, cough (sometimes bloody), chest pain, possible respiratory failure; contagious through droplets.
💉 Treatment & Prevention
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Antibiotics (e.g., streptomycin, gentamicin, doxycycline, fluoroquinolones) are highly effective when administered early—bubonic survival >90%
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Untreated bubonic plague can progress to deadly forms; pneumonic is almost always fatal within days without intervention.
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Prevention: Control rodents/fleas, avoid handling sick/dead animals, use DEET insect repellent, treat pets' fleas.
🌎 Current Outlook
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Around 1,000–2,000 cases reported globally each year; endemic in parts of Africa, Madagascar, and Peru.
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In the U.S., ≈7 cases/year, mainly in rural areas of Western states.
🆘 Recent U.S. Case – Arizona, July 2025
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A resident of Northern Arizona (Coconino County) died of pneumonic plague—the first fatal case there since 2007.
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Linked to prairie dog die-offs, which raised concerns about local Y. pestis activity; officials are investigating flea vectors.
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Pneumonic plague is contagious via respiratory droplets, though human-to-human transmission is exceedingly rare in modern settings.
🛡️ What’s Being Done