Oregon Reports First Human Plague Case in Nearly a Decade Linked to Pet Cat

A resident of Deschutes County, Oregon, has been diagnosed with the plague, likely contracted from their domestic cat, marking the state's first human case since 2015.

The infected individual and their cat, both residents of rural central Oregon, are believed to be the only cases, with health officials having contacted all close contacts for preventive treatment.
Cats are more susceptible to plague due to their tendency to hunt rodents, the primary carriers of the infected fleas, and can transmit the disease to humans through tissue or bodily fluids.
Symptoms of plague include fever, headache, chills, weakness, and swollen lymph nodes, with the disease being treatable with antibiotics if detected early.
This case marks the first human infection in Oregon since a teenage girl contracted the disease from a flea bite during a hunting trip in 2015.
Health officials recommend keeping pets on leashes, avoiding contact with wild rodents, and consulting a veterinarian if pets show symptoms after contact with rodents.