Perceived as history, the deadly Yersinia pestis bacteria, causing the plague, persists worldwide, including the US. Contrary to belief, it endures, a silent threat in the modern era.
The unidentified individual from Deschutes County was diagnosed with bubonic plague, the most common form of the disease that infects lymph nodes and starts with flu-like symptoms like fever, chills, and headache.
Rare but persistent, the U.S. faces sporadic plague cases. Centers for Disease Control notes around 7 cases yearly, while globally, 1,000 to 2,000 occur. History echoes, but occurrences remain infrequent.
Yersinia pestis, traced to China, evolved 7,000 years ago from Y. pseudotuberculosis; more virulent, causing severe infections.
Fleas transmit plague by vomiting bacteria into host's bloodstream, unlike Lyme and malaria with salivary gland hiding.
Plague treatable with antibiotics; eradicating from wildlife reservoirs challenging due to human-to-human transmission risk.