What Fleas Carry Bubonic Plague
WouterThe plague is a bacterial infection spread by fleas. It usually occurs in areas with high rodent populations, poor sanitation, and overcrowding. The plague is a global problem and has caused millions of deaths. In the United States, the plague is rare but has been known to infect people in parts of California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Infected fleas can be brought into homes by dogs and cats, and a person can be infected just from coming in contact with an infected flea.
A person infected with the plague typically experiences an acute onset of symptoms, with a fever and swollen lymph nodes. Septicemic plague can also cause abdominal pain, internal bleeding, and dead and blackened skin. If untreated, the symptoms may develop into pneumonic plague, which can lead to pneumonia and other complications.
The last urban plague outbreak occurred in 1924 in Los Angeles. Most human cases occur in the southwest, near California and southern Oregon, and in western Nevada. If you are worried that your pet has contracted plague, contact your healthcare provider. You should also avoid handling dead or sick animals and not let them roam outside, as they could be carrying the disease.
While the plague does not always infect fleas, it did in ancient times. However, it didn’t spread as quickly and destructively. Researchers who studied DNA from 101 Bronze Age skeletons found evidence of seven plague-infected people two to five thousand years ago, and they lived in Europe and Asia. This research pushes back the first evidence of plague by nearly 3300 years, and gives us a clue about how the disease may have spread across continents.
