The bubonic plague is a rare but serious bacterial infection that can cause swollen lymph nodes, fever, and sometimes death. It is caused by Yersinia pestis, which can be transmitted to humans by fleas that live on rodents.
The plague is present on every continent except Oceania, but most cases occur in the rural areas of Africa, Asia, and South America.
Recently, a human case of the bubonic plague was reported in Oregon. This will be the first in the state in eight years, as the last sighting was in 2015. The patient had been in contact with a cat that had a plague-infected flea. They developed a fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck afterward.
The patient, whose identity has not been revealed, was hospitalized and treated with antibiotics. The cat was also treated and survived.
Following their recovery, the health officer of Deschutes County, Dr. Richard Fawcett, stated in a press release that they had reached out to and given medicine to everyone who had been near the patient and their cat.
The health authorities in the state also advised the public to take precautions to prevent exposure to the plague, such as avoiding contact with sick or dead animals, using flea control products on pets, and wearing gloves and masks when handling or feeding wild animals.
The bubonic plague is one of the oldest and deadliest diseases in human history. It caused the Black Death, which killed an estimated 50 million people in Europe in the 14th century. It also caused several other pandemics throughout history, such as the Justinian Plague in the 6th century and the Third Plague in the 19th and 20th centuries.
However, with modern medicine and public health measures, the plague can be controlled and prevented.
