DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. – Health officials have confirmed a case of human plague in an Oregon resident who was likely infected by their cat.
Fortunately, the county said, the infection was caught early and treated in the earlier stages of the disease. Left untreated, the bubonic plague can progress into a bloodstream or lung infection.
“All close contacts of the resident and their pet have been contacted and provided medication to prevent illness,” said Dr. Richard Fawcett, Deschutes County Health Officer in a statement.
The bubonic plague spreads from humans to animals through a bite from an infected flea or contact with an animal that has the disease.
Symptoms of plague usually begin two to eight days after exposure. Symptoms include:
“Plague is rare in Oregon, with the last case reported in 2015,” the county said in a news release. “The most common animals to carry plague in Central Oregon are squirrels and chipmunks, but mice and other rodents can also carry the disease.”