El Dorado County resident tests positive for plague after camping in Tahoe area
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- El Dorado County resident tests positive for plague after camping in South Lake Tahoe.
- It is believed the person may have been bitten by an infected flea.
- Plague can be found in fleas and wild rodents; the public was urged to take precautions.
El Dorado County health officials on Tuesday announced that a South Lake Tahoe resident has tested positive for plague, a potentially life-threatening disease that occurs naturally in areas of the western United States.
The resident who contracted the disease was under the care of a medical professional Tuesday and recovering at home, health officials said in a news release.
It is believed the resident may have been bitten by an infected flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area. Health officials were still investigating the situation.
“Plague is naturally present in many parts of California, including higher elevation areas of El Dorado County,” said Kyle Fliflet, El Dorado County’s acting director of public health, in the news release. “It’s important that individuals take precautions for themselves and their pets when outdoors, especially while walking, hiking and or camping in areas where wild rodents are present.”
Plague is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC says plague occurs naturally in some areas of the western United States, where it circulates among wild rodents and other animals, and the disease can be cured with antibiotics but treatment must be given quickly.
Health officials in El Dorado County said plague bacteria are most often transmitted by flea bites after acquiring the bacteria from infected squirrels, chipmunks and other wild rodents. Dogs and cats may also bring plague-infected fleas into the home, and people can get plague when they are bitten by infected fleas.
Plague symptoms usually occur within two weeks of exposure to an infected animal or flea and include fever, nausea, weakness and swollen lymph nodes.
The California Department of Public Health routinely monitors rodent populations for plague activity throughout the state and closely coordinates with county health officials.
From 2021 through 2024, a total of 41 rodents (ground squirrels or chipmunks) were found in El Dorado County with evidence of exposure to plague bacterium, according to the news release. Through Tuesday, four additional rodents have tested positive, and all these rodents were identified in the Tahoe Basin.
Human cases of plague are extremely rare but can be very serious, health officials said in the news release. The most recent human case of plague reported in El Dorado County was in 2020 for a person who was likely exposed to the bacterium in the South Lake Tahoe area.
Two people were reported with plague in 2015 after having been exposed to infected rodents or fleas in Yosemite National Park. El Dorado County health officials said those people who were infected were treated and later recovered. Those were the first reported human cases in California since 2006.
Health officials offered these tips to prevent exposure to plague:
- Do not feed squirrels, chipmunks or other wild rodents.
- Never touch sick, injured or dead rodents.
- Do not allow your pets to play with or pick up sick, injured or dead rodents.
- Do not camp, sleep or rest near animal burrows or areas where dead rodents are observed.
- Look for and heed posted warning signs.
- Wear long pants tucked into boot tops and spray insect repellent containing DEET on socks and pant cuffs to reduce exposure to fleas.
- Leave pets home if possible; otherwise keep pets on a leash. Do not allow pets to approach sick or dead rodents or explore rodent burrows.
- Protect pets with flea control products.
- Pet cats are highly susceptible to plague and can pose a direct threat to humans. Keep cats away from rodents. Consult a veterinarian if your cat becomes sick after being in contact with rodents.
- If you get sick after being in an area where plague is known to occur, consult a physician and tell them you may have been exposed to plague.
