Infected by his cat, a man contracts the bubonic plague, a rare disease responsible for the Black Death in the Middle Ages.

A rare human case of bubonic plague was recently identified in Oregon, United States, according to local health officials. Franceinfo This Wednesday, February 14.

The disease, which caused the Black Death, an epidemic that killed at least a third of the European population in the Middle Ages, is rare in developed countries and can now be treated, but remains potentially dangerous: if not diagnosed in time If infected, it can develop into septicemic plague – an infection of the bloodstream – or pneumonic plague, thus affecting the lungs. Two diseases which are more serious.

“Little risk to the community”

The confirmed case in the United States is from a resident of Deschutes County (Oregon) in the northwestern United States. He is currently being treated and was probably infected by his cat

“Fortunately, this case was identified and treated at an early stage of the disease, posing little risk to the community”assured the authorities in a press release. “No other cases of plague have come to light during investigation”Authorities clarify, however, that plague symptoms — which can include fever, nausea, chills and muscle aches — appear up to eight days after exposure to a sick animal or flea.

An average of seven cases of plague per year

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the main federal health agency, there are an average of seven cases of plague in humans each year in the United States.

In Oregon, the last reported case of bubonic plague was in 2015, according to the state health administration of more than 4.2 million residents.