Bubonic plague bacteria from a patient (CENTERS FOR THE CONTROL AND PREVENTION OF DISEASES)
HOLBROOK, Ariz. – County health officials in Northeast Arizona said a man has contracted human plague and are warning the public to take precautions to limit the risk of exposure.
Navajo County Deputy Manager Bryan Layton said Friday that a man over 55 was being treated for the disease amid an investigation into how he contracted it.
Humans are usually spread after being bitten by an infected flea that carries the plague bacteria or by handling an animal infected with the plague. Modern antibiotics are effective in treating plague, although the disease can cause serious illness or death without immediate treatment.
The Navajo County Health Department encouraged people to avoid rodent burrows and keep dogs on a leash.
Human plague symptoms usually appear within two to six days after contact and include fever, chills, headaches, and often swollen lymph nodes under the armpit.
