Since
April 1, there have been 11 cases of human plague in the United States, the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Thursday. Three of those
patients have died. This is according to a new report from the CDC putting doctors on alert
that the number of cases this year seems to be higher than usual.
The average
number of cases between 2001 and 2012 was seven, with less than one death each
year.
"We don't
want people to panic but we do want people to be aware of the heightened
risk," said Dr. Natalie Kwit, a veterinarian with the division of vector
borne diseases at the CDC.
The cases,
which are required to be reported to the CDC, have been reported in six states.
There have been two cases in Arizona, one in California, four in Colorado, one in Georgia, two in New
Mexico and one in Oregon. The cases in California
and Georgia have been linked to areas in or near Yosemite National Park in the southern Sierra Nevada, the
report says.
The youngest
of the patients is 14 and the oldest is 79. Nine of the patients were male.
Plague occurs
in rural and semi-rural areas of the Western United States, most commonly in
New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.
The bacteria
that causes the plague, Yersinia pestis, is naturally occurring in the
environment and is found in areas where there are wild rodents.
People are
usually infected after a flea becomes infected from a rodent such as a rat,
squirrel or chipmunk, and then transmits it to a person by biting them.
Patients
usually develop symptoms between two and six days after exposure. They include
generally feeling sick, a sudden fever, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.
Patients can
be successfully treated with antibiotics but only if they are diagnosed and
begin treatment early. In patients who aren't treated, the death rate is between 66% and 93%, compared to 16%
among those who are treated.
Cases can
occur year-round but are likely to appear from late spring to early fall. Kwit
said it's hard to say whether there will be more cases this year.
Kwit said it
is unclear why the number of cases is higher than usual but added that the
number tends to fluctuate. "This may be one of those years where we are
seeing a higher number [of cases]," she said, noting that in 2006 there
were 17 cases.
Kwit said the
point of the report is to put the plague on the radar for physicians who may
see patients with a fever or swollen lymph nodes who have a travel history and
exposure history.
There are
steps people can take to protect themselves in areas where the plague is found.
The CDC recommends wearing long pants and using insect repellent on clothing
and skin. It also recommends protecting pets from fleas and removing garbage,
clutter, brush and anything that could be a food source for rodents.
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