Bubonic plague hits LA
Herald Sun ^ | 19 April 2006
Posted on 04/18/2006 7:34:55 PM EDT by Aussie Dasher
A CASE of bubonic plague has been reported in the second largest US city, Los Angeles, for the first time in 22 years, health officials said today.
An unidentified woman came down last week with symptoms of the disease, known as the Black Death, when it devastatingly swept across Europe in the 14th century. Health officials said they believed the infected woman, who remains in hospital, was exposed to fleas in the area around her house and stressed it was unlikely the rare disease would spread.
"Bubonic plague is not usually transmissible from person to person," Jonathan Fielding, head of Los Angeles County public health, said.
Mr Fielding explained the disease is not uncommon among animals such as squirrels but seldom spreads to humans.
"Fortunately, human plague infection is rare in urban environments, and this single case should not be a cause for alarm in the area where this occurred," he said.
Health officials investigating the source of the disease set traps to catch squirrels and other wild animals in the area near where the woman lives.
Blood tests will be performed on any animals caught to determine if they were exposed to the plague bacteria.
Plague symptoms include fever, muscle aches, nausea, headache, sore throat, fatigue and swollen, tender lymph nodes associated with the arm or leg that has flea bites.
The disease is treatable with antibiotics, medical experts said.
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