A South Lake Tahoe resident tested positive for plague after a suspected flea bite while camping and is recovering at home under medical care. Plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and is often transmitted through flea bites when fleas acquire the bacteria from infected rodents such as squirrels and chipmunks. Dogs and cats may also bring infected fleas into contact with humans. Health officials recommend avoiding wild rodents and keeping pets away from squirrels and chipmunks to reduce risk. In areas like Tahoe and Yosemite, rodents habituated to humans can behave aggressively and increase human contact. Previous human cases occurred in Yosemite in 2015 and in South Lake Tahoe in 2020, prompting closures of picnic areas after flea tests returned positive.
Plague is often transmitted by a flea bite. The disease is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, and fleas acquire the bacteria from infected rodents, including squirrels and chipmunks. Dogs and cats may also bring infected fleas into contact with humans. The best way to avoid contracting plague is to stay away from wild rodents, according to health officials. It's also a good idea to keep pets away from squirrels and chipmunks.
A South Lake Tahoe resident tested positive for plague, health officials reported Tuesday. Officials said they believe the individual was bitten by a flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area. The person is recovering at home and is being treated by medical professionals. Plague is naturally present in many high-elevation parts of El Dorado County, said Kyle Fliflet, the county's acting director of public health, in a Tuesday news release.
In 2015, two people in Yosemite who had been exposed to infected rodents or their fleas tested positive for plague, according to the news release. Those were the first reported human cases in California since 2006. In Tahoe, plague is no longer a disease of the dark ages but a real and present danger. The most recent case of plague before this incident was in 2020, when health officials confirmed another South Lake Tahoe resident had tested positive for plague.
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