A 16- year- old girl diagnosed to have bubonic plague is said to have gotten the disease from an infected flea bite during a hunting trip in Oregon- CNN reports Friday.
The girl who has not been identified yet fell ill for five during a hunting near Heppner Morrow County in Oregon on October 6. She was taken to intensive care in a hospital after three days on Oct. 24 and later was found carrying the said disease. Her current condition is still unknown.
A total of eight confirmed cases in Oregon are reported over the last 20 years and none of those cases are leading to death. While there have been 16 reported cases of bubonic plague currently in the US, including the case of the 16- year-old girl. Four of which are dying.
These cases were reported in the following states: Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, California, Utah, Georgia, Michigan, and Oregon, as new addition to the list. The Michigan case reported last month is onto recovery.
According to health experts, the infectious bacterial disease is carried by wild rodents such as squirrels and chipmunks, including their fleas. An infected rodent that becomes sick and dies can have infected fleas as carriers of the disease. These fleas can infect other animals and humans through bites.
Among the common symptoms of the disease is high fever, nausea, vomiting, and lethargy. Bubonic plague can be treated with antibiotics if caught early but can also lead to death if left unattended. A vaccine especially dedicated to cure the bubonic plage has not been made available yet.
Officials and health experts raises precaution to the public on taking rodents as pets as well direct contact with wild and dead rodents as these may carry the said infectious disease.
