Risk of Infection
Understanding the risk of infection is crucial when it comes to the bubonic plague. Certain individuals are more vulnerable, particularly those who frequently engage in outdoor activities or work closely with animals. It’s important to note that infected ticks can be found on various animals, not just rats. This includes creatures like mice, squirrels, prairie dogs, chipmunks, and rabbits. Even domestic cats and dogs can become infected through flea bites or by coming into contact with an infected rodent.
Plague in the United States: A Historical Overview
The introduction of the plague in the United States took place much later than in Europe, primarily during the 1900s. This deadly disease made its way to American shores through rat-infested steamships arriving from Asia, triggering epidemics in major port cities. The last significant outbreak occurred in Los Angeles in 1924, and from there, it rapidly spread to rural rodents and across the western regions of the country.
In today’s modern era, the number of reported plague cases in the United States varies between one and seventeen per year. The majority of these cases are concentrated in specific regions, namely southern Oregon, California, western Nevada, southern Colorado, northern New Mexico, and northern Arizona. It is worth noting that more than 80 percent of these reported cases manifest in the bubonic form, characterized by the swelling of lymph nodes.