The plague is back in the news — though it never really left

The plague is back in the news since a person from California was diagnosed and treated for the flea-borne illness. But in reality, while plague sounds very scary, it’s treatable early on. And it never really left.

A South Lake Tahoe resident was diagnosed with plague, according to NBC News, which said the California Department of Health had been notified.

The individual is recovering at home and receiving care. No identifying or demographic information has been released.

Health officials think an infected flea bit the person who got sick while camping in South Lake Tahoe, according to a press release from the El Dorado County Health Department.

About the plague

The illness is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and it is most often transmitted by the bites of fleas that acquired the bacteria by biting infected squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs and other wild critters, mostly rodents. Dogs and cats can also bring plague-infected fleas home, the department notice said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says plague “occurs naturally in areas of the western United States,” circulating among wild rodents and other animals.

“Plague can be prevented by avoiding contact with wild rodents and by keeping pets away from rodent burrows,” the notice said.

Plague in humans is rare now but potentially serious. The very word “plague” calls up a horrifying history lesson. Plague was once called “the Black Death” and in the 14th century killed at least 50 million and maybe as many as 200 million people.

There are three common forms: bubonic, pneumonic and septicemic.

Bubonic plague symptoms include fever, headache, chills, weakness and swollen, painful lymph nodes.

Septicemic plague symptoms include “fever, chills, extreme weakness, abdominal pain, shock and possibly bleeding into the skin and other organs. Skin and other tissues may turn black and die, especially on fingers, toes and the nose. Septicemic plague can occur as the first symptom of plague or may develop from untreated bubonic plague,” per the CDC.

Untreated, it’s believed that septicemic plague is usually lethal.

Pneumonic plague includes fever, headache, weakness and “a rapidly developing pneumonia” with all its misery. That happens when bacteria get into the lung of a patient with either bubonic or septicemic plague.

The CDC reports an average of seven cases a year of human plague in the U.S., with more cases in northern New Mexico and Arizona than other parts of the West.

“Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County,” Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County’s acting director of public health, said in the written statement. “It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and/or camping in areas where wild rodents are present.”

The symptoms typically show up within two weeks and can include nausea, fever, weakness and swollen lymph nodes. Treated early with antibiotics, people recover well.

The notice said that the California Department of Public Health “routinely monitors rodent populations for plague activity in California and closely coordinates with county health officials.” In El Dorado County alone from 2021 to 2024, 41 rodents with evidence of the bacterium were located. This year, four rodents tested positive, all in the Tahoe Basin.

Avoid it like the plague

There are a number of tips to avoid exposure to plague, provided by El Dorado County Health and the CDC:

• Don’t feed wild rodents, including chipmunks and squirrels.
• Don’t touch sick, injured or dead rodents — and don’t let your pets touch them, either.
• Don’t camp, sleep or rest near animal burrows or where you can see dead rodents.
• Pay attention to posted warning signs.
• Wear long pants tucked into boot tops and use insect repellent containing DEET on socks and pant cuffs to avoid fleas. As a bonus, you’ll also avoid mosquito bites.
• Leave pets home or at least keep them on a leash. Don’t let them explore rodent burrows and approach dead or sick rodents.
• Use flea control products on your pets.
• Cats are “highly susceptible to plague” and can directly threaten human health. If your cat becomes sick after being in contact with a rodent, take the feline to a vet immediately.
• If you get sick after being in an area where plague is known to occur, tell your physician you may have been exposed to plague.