The California Department of Public Health is investigating a case of human plague after a child was hospitalized following a visit to Yosemite National Park and Stanislaus National Forest.
The child from Los Angeles County stayed at Crane Flat Campground in Yosemite in mid- July. The child, whose identity has not been released, was the only one ill among family members. State health officials said Thursday that the child is recovering.
“Human cases of plague are rare, with the last reported human infection in California occurring in 2006,” says Karen Smith, a state health officer.
Plague is an infectious bacterial disease that is carried by squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents and their fleas. When an infected rodent becomes sick and dies, its fleas can carry the infection to other warm-blooded animals or humans.
“Although this is a rare disease, people should protect themselves from infection by avoiding any contact with wild rodents. Never feed squirrels, chipmunks, or other rodents in picnic or campground areas, and never touch sick or dead rodents. Protect your pets from fleas and keep them away from wild animals,” Smith added.
Symptoms of plague include high fever, chills, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, armpit, or groin. The disease is treatable in its early stages with prompt diagnosis and proper antibiotic treatment. If not treated, plague can be fatal.
The state department of public health is working closely with park officials to discover the source of infection. Yosemite officials are posting caution signs at the Crane Flat Campground and nearby areas. The park is also providing additional information to visitors about how to prevent plague exposure.
Plague is not transmitted from human to human, unless a patient with plague also has a lung infection and is coughing. There have been no known cases of human-to-human infection in California since 1924. LACDPH and CDPH believe the risk of human-to-human transmission is similarly low in this case.
The last reported cases of human plague in California were in 2005 and 2006 in Los Angeles and Kern counties. Since 1970, 42 human cases of plague have been confirmed in California, of which nine were fatal.
