Health officials are investigating a human case of the plague in a resident who contracted the infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis.
Health officials in Colorado are investigating a human case of the plague in a resident who contracted the infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis.
The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment (PDPHE) confirmed the case in a statement on July 5, saying it is working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to investigate the case.
The public health agency did not disclose details about the individual who contracted the plague—a potentially deadly disease known as the “Black Death” in the Middle Ages.
How the individual became infected, or which specific form of plague the case was, is also unclear.
NTD has contacted the PDPHE via email for further comment but did not hear back before publication.
“We advise all individuals to protect themselves and their pets from plague,” Alicia Solis, program manager of the Office of Communicable Disease and Emergency Preparedness at PDPHE, said in the statement.
“If you develop symptoms of plague, see a health care provider immediately. Plague can be treated successfully with antibiotics, but an infected person must be treated promptly to avoid serious complications or death,” Ms. Solis added.
The case comes 10 months after a resident in Archuleta County in southwest Colorado died of plague in September.
Preventing Plague
While human cases of plague are rare in this day and age, health officials say it’s important for residents to be aware of the symptoms and how to take preventive measures.
The plague is typically transmitted to humans or animals through a bite from an infected flea. It can spread by touching infected animals, or inhaling droplets from the cough of an infected person or animal.
Steps residents can take to avoid infection include getting rid of places rodents can use to hide and breed, avoiding contact with dead animals, treating pets for fleas regularly, and using insect repellent with at least 20 percent of diethyltoluamide, or DEET, to prevent flea bites, the PDPHE said.
