A New Mexico man has been diagnosed with plague, marking the state’s first human case this year. The patient, a 43-year-old man from Valencia County, was hospitalized but has since been discharged. He had recently camped in Rio Arriba County, where health officials believe he may have contracted the disease through contact with infected fleas or rodents.
Plague is a bacterial infection caused by Yersinia pestis and typically affects wild rodents. Humans can contract the disease through bites from infected fleas, coming into contact with contaminated fluid or tissue, or inhaling infected droplets in the air. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), person-to-person spread of plague has not been documented in the U.S. since 1924.
The patient was diagnosed with both septicemic and bubonic plague, which caused inflamed lymph nodes and a blood infection. Common symptoms include headache, fever, and weakness. Early detection is crucial, as plague can be fatal quickly. Treatment with antibiotics can cure the disease if sought early enough.
To reduce the risk of plague, health officials recommend avoiding sick or dead rodents and rabbits, cleaning up areas near homes where rodents could live, using insect repellent outdoors, and keeping hay and wood away from houses. They also suggest having a sick pet examined immediately by a veterinarian. This is not the first human case of plague in New Mexico this year; however, it marks an important reminder that plague can circulate in the state, and awareness is necessary to prevent transmission.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/new-mexico-man-diagnosed-plague-states-1st-human/story?id=124984885