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Return of the Plague

Since April 1, 2015, a total of 11 cases of human plague have been reported in residents of six states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, New Mexico, and Oregon. Two cases in Georgia and California residents have been linked to exposures at or near Yosemite National Park.

Plague is a rare, life-threatening, flea-borne zoonosis caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague circulates among wild rodents and their fleas in rural and semirural areas in the western United States. Transmission to humans occurs through the bite of infected fleas, direct contact with infected body fluids or tissues, or inhalation of respiratory droplets from ill persons or animals, including domesticated cats and dogs. The usual incubation period between exposure and illness onset is 2 to 6 days.

Plague infection is characterized by the sudden onset of fever and malaise, which may be accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. There are three main forms of plague depending upon the route of infection. Bubonic plague is caused by the bite of an infected flea and accounts for approximately 80% to 85% of cases. Patients develop a bubo, which is a painful swelling of one or more lymph nodes during the first few days of illness. Septicemic plague occurs from a flea bite or direct contact with infectious fluids and accounts for approximately 10% of cases. Infection spreads directly through the bloodstream with no local signs. Primary pneumonic plague results from aerosol exposure to infective droplets. It is characterized by fulminant primary pneumonia and accounts for approximately 3% of cases. Secondary pneumonic plague can result from the spread of Y. pestis to the lungs in patients with untreated bubonic or septicemic infection.

The mortality rate for untreated plague ranges from 66% to 93%. Prompt treatment with antimicrobials such as aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, or doxycycline has reduced the mortality rate to approximately 16%.

Depending on clinical presentation, appropriate specimens should be obtained for Gram stain and bacterial culture:

  • Lymph node aspirate from a bubo
  • Blood cultures:
  • Sputum
  • Bronchial or tracheal washing

Yersinia pestis is an ovoid, Gram-negative organism with a safety pin appearance. Automated bacterial identification systems have been reported to misidentify Yersinia pestis as Pseudomonas luteola.

If cultures yield negative results, and plague is still suspected, serologic testing may help to confirm the diagnosis. One serum specimen should be taken as early in the illness as possible, followed by a convalescent sample 4 to 6 weeks or more after disease onset.

For more information, go to:

Human Plague — United States, 2015, MMWR August 25, 2015 / 64(Early Release);1-2

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm64e0825a1.htm?s_cid=mm64e0825a1_e

http://www.cdc.gov/plague/healthcare/clinicians.html

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