Featured

New Mexico reports first human plague case since 2021

Cathy Cook
Cathy Cook Staff Writer
Published Modified

Symptoms

Plague symptoms in humans include sudden onset of fever, chills, headache and weakness, according to the NMDOH news release. In most cases there is a painful swelling of the lymph node in the groin, armpit or neck area.

In cats and dogs, plague symptoms are fever, lethargy and loss of appetite. The animal might also have swelling in the lymph node under its jaw.

Prevention

To prevent plague infection, the NMDOH recommends:

• Avoiding sick or dead rodents and rabbits, as well as their nests and burrows

• Keeping pets from roaming and hunting

• Talking to a veterinarian about appropriate flea control products. Not all products are safe for cats, dogs or children.

• Have sick pets examined promptly by a veterinarian.

• See a doctor about unexplained illness involving a sudden and severe fever

• Clean up areas near the home where rodents could live like woodpiles, brush piles, junk and abandoned vehicles.

• Put hay, wood and compost piles as far as possible from a home.

• Don’t leave pet food and water where rodents and wildlife can get to it.

A Lincoln County man has died of plague, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.

The death is the first from plague in the state since 2020 and the first human case since 2021.

“We extend our deepest sympathy to the family of the Lincoln County man who succumbed to plague,” State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps said in the DOH news release issued Friday. “This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the threat posed by this ancient disease and emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and proactive measures to prevent its spread.”

Plague is a bacterial disease of rodents typically spread to people through bites from infected fleas. People can also become infected through direct contact with infected animals, including rodents, wildlife and pets, the release said. Pet dogs or cats that are allowed to roam can come home with infected fleas from dead rodents.

NMDOH is doing outreach in the south-central New Mexico county where the death occurred and an environmental assessment will be done to look for ongoing risk.

The rate in people and pets can be reduced with prompt diagnosis and treatment. Doctors who suspect plague should report it to NMDOH, the release said.

The history of plague in N.M.

The last human plague case in New Mexico was a Torrance County resident in 2021, and in 2020 the state saw four human plague cases, according to the Department of Health. There was one case in Santa Fe County, two in Torrance and a fatal case in Rio Arriba County.

Plague was first found in New Mexico in Catron County prairie dogs in 1938 and first reported in people in 1949, according to a DOH report.

From 1949 to 2023, there were 289 human plague cases in New Mexico, according to DOH data. The counties with the greatest number of cases over the years are Santa Fe, Bernalillo, McKinley and Rio Arriba. The majority of human cases have occurred in northern New Mexico.

The 1980s is the decade when New Mexico had by far the most human plague cases, with 104 .

Since 1970, over half of human plague cases in the U.S. have been reported in New Mexico. Most cases in the country occur in Southwestern states such as New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado and California.

bubonic plague torrance county state public health veterinarian santa fe county rio arriba county rio arriba plague northern new mexico new mexico mckinley lincoln county lifestyles department of health colorado catron county california united states arizona
Powered by Labrador CMS