Latest news with #FlagstaffMedicalCenter
The Guardian
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Arizona resident dies from pneumonic plague, health officials say
A person has died from pneumonic plague in Coconino county, Arizona, the first such death there since 2007 – though officials are saying the death is unrelated to a recent die-off of prairie dogs in the area that may also be plague-related. Health officials in Coconino county, which incorporates part of the Grand Canyon national park and lies north of Flagstaff, confirmed the death on 11 July. Pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection, is rare in humans, with only about seven cases reported annually in the US. Unlike bubonic plague, which killed millions in medieval Europe, it can be spread through airborne droplets. While both are caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, bubonic plague is transmitted through rodent flea bites or contact with contaminated material – and it primarily affects the lymph nodes while pneumonic plague causes pneumonia and respiratory symptoms. Authorities said the person, whose age, name and gender have not been released, had entered the Flagstaff Medical Center emergency department and died on the same day. Hospital operator Northern Arizona Healthcare said in a statement that 'despite appropriate initial management and attempts to provide life-saving resuscitation, the patient did not recover'. The death of the Coconino county resident marks the first recorded pneumonic plague death in the county in 18 years but not the most recent human plague case in Arizona – the state has recorded seven cases of plague since 2006. The 2007 death reportedly occurred after the person involved had contact with a dead animal infected with plague. Nationally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about seven human cases of plague are reported annually across the country, but only 15 plague deaths have been recorded in a 23-year period beginning in 2000. Most cases have been seen in rural areas in the west. Typically, the CDC says, Yersinia pestis cycles naturally among wild rodents. And while most people contract the disease though flea bites, they can become infected through exposure to sick pets, especially cats. The plague death comes as officials in the county are investigating a sudden die-off of prairie dogs north-east of Flagstaff that may be caused by plague. County officials have said they do not think the human plague death and the prairie dog mortalities are related. But they also issued guidelines about how to avoid contracting the plague, including avoiding contact with wild animals, touching sick or dead animals, camping near rodent burrows, or sleeping directly on the ground. They advise using insect repellent and tucking the cuffs of your trouser leg into your socks. Coconino county health officials said the risk of human-to-human transmission of pneumonic plague is low. The last such transmission was in Los Angeles in 1924, according to National Institutes of Health (NIH) data. Still, the symptoms of the Black Death – named for black spots that appeared on infected bodies – remain present. US health officials say plague symptoms typically appear within eight days after exposure and may include fever, chills, headache, weakness and muscle pain, and some may develop swollen lymph nodes (called 'buboes'), most commonly in the groin, armpits or limbs. But the timing of the human plague death, and the prairie dog die-off, is raising concerns. Plague is one of many diseases endemic to the south-western US, including West Nile virus, hantavirus and rabies. Trish Lees, communications manager for Coconino county, told the Arizona Republic the number of prairie dogs that have died was unknown.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Arizona resident dies from pneumonic plague, health officials say
A person has died from pneumonic plague in Coconino county, Arizona, the first such death there since 2007 – though officials are saying the death is unrelated to a recent die-off of prairie dogs in the area that may also be plague-related. Health officials in Coconino county, which incorporates part of the Grand Canyon national park and lies north of Flagstaff, confirmed the death on 11 July. Pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection, is rare in humans, with only about seven cases reported annually in the US. Unlike bubonic plague, which killed millions in medieval Europe, it can be spread through airborne droplets. While both are caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, bubonic plague is transmitted through rodent flea bites or contact with contaminated material – and it primarily affects the lymph nodes while pneumonic plague causes pneumonia and respiratory symptoms. Authorities said the person, whose age, name and gender have not been released, had entered the Flagstaff Medical Center emergency department and died on the same day. Hospital operator Northern Arizona Healthcare said in a statement that 'despite appropriate initial management and attempts to provide life-saving resuscitation, the patient did not recover'. The death of the Coconino county resident marks the first recorded pneumonic plague death in the county in 18 years but not the most recent human plague case in Arizona – the state has recorded seven cases of plague since 2006. Nationally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says about seven human cases of plague are reported annually across the country, but only 15 plague deaths have been recorded in a 23-year period beginning in 2000. Most cases have been seen in rural areas in the west. Typically, the CDC says, Yersinia pestis cycles naturally among wild rodents. And while most people contract the disease though flea bites, they can become infected through exposure to sick pets, especially cats. The plague death comes as officials in the county are investigating a sudden die-off of prairie dogs north-east of Flagstaff that may be caused by plague. County officials have said they do not think the human plague death and the prairie dog mortalities are related. But they also issued guidelines about how to avoid contracting the plague, including avoiding contact with wild animals, touching sick or dead animals, camping near rodent burrows, or sleeping directly on the ground. They advise using insect repellent and tucking the cuffs of your trouser leg into your socks. Coconino county health officials said the risk of human-to-human transmission of pneumonic plague is low. The last such transmission was in Los Angeles in 1924, according to National Institutes of Health (NIH) data. Still, the symptoms of the Black Death – named for black spots that appeared on infected bodies – remain present. US health officials say plague symptoms typically appear within eight days after exposure and may include fever, chills, headache, weakness and muscle pain, and some may develop swollen lymph nodes (called 'buboes'), most commonly in the groin, armpits or limbs. But the timing of the human plague death, and the prairie dog die-off, is raising concerns. Plague is one of many diseases endemic to the south-western US, including West Nile virus, hantavirus and rabies. Trish Lees, communications manager for Coconino county, told the Arizona Republic the number of prairie dogs that have died was unknown.
The Guardian
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Arizona resident dies from pneumonic plague, health officials say
A person has died from pneumonic plague in Coconino county, Arizona, the first such death there since 2007 – though officials are saying the death is unrelated to a recent die-off of prairie dogs in the area that may also be plague-related. Health officials in Coconino county, which incorporates part of the Grand Canyon national park and lies north of Flagstaff, confirmed the death on 11 July. Pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection, is rare in humans, with only about seven cases reported annually in the US. Unlike Bubonic plague, which killed millions in medieval Europe, it can be spread through airborne droplets. While both are caused by the Yersinia pestis bacterium, bubonic plague is transmitted through rodent flea bites or contact with contaminated material – and it primarily affects the lymph nodes while pneumonic plague causes pneumonia and respiratory symptoms. Authorities said the person, whose age, name and gender have not been released, had entered the Flagstaff Medical Center emergency department and died on the same day. Hospital operator Northern Arizona Healthcare said in a statement that 'despite appropriate initial management and attempts to provide life-saving resuscitation, the patient did not recover'. The death of the Coconino county resident marks the first recorded pneumonic plague death in the county in 18 years but not the most recent human plague case in Arizona – the state has recorded seven cases of plague since 2006. Nationally, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say about seven human cases of plague are reported annually across the country, but only 15 plague deaths have been recorded in a 23-year period beginning in 2000. Most cases have been seen in rural areas in the west. Typically, the CDC says, Yersinia pestis cycles naturally among wild rodents. And while most contract the disease though flea bites, they can become infected through exposure to sick pets, especially cats. The plague death comes as officials in the county are investigating a sudden die-off of prairie dogs north-east of Flagstaff that may be caused by plague. County officials have said they don't think the human plague death and the prairie dog mortalities are related. But they also issued guidelines about how to avoid contracting the plague, including avoiding contact with wild animals, touching sick or dead animals, camping near rodent burrows, or sleeping directly on the ground. They advise using insect repellent and tucking the cuffs of your trouser leg into your socks. Coconino county health officials said the risk of human-to-human transmission of pneumonic plague is low. The last such transmission was in Los Angeles in 1924, according to National Institutes of Health (NIH) data. Still, the symptoms of the Black Death – named for black spots that appeared on infected bodies – remain present. US health officials say plague symptoms typically appear within eight days after exposure and may include fever, chills, headache, weakness and muscle pain, and some may develop swollen lymph nodes (called 'buboes'), most commonly in the groin, armpits or limbs. But the timing of the human plague death, and the prairie dog die-off, is raising concerns. Plague is one of many diseases endemic to the south-western US, including West Nile virus, hantavirus and rabies. Trish Lees, communications manager for Coconino county, told the Arizona Republic the number of prairie dogs that have died was unknown.
The Sun
14-07-2025
- Health
- The Sun
Patient dies from the ‘Black Death' plague less than 24 hours after symptoms first emerged
A PERSON has died from plague just 24-hours after they showed up at hospital with symptoms, health officals have said. The victim was rushed to Flagstaff Medical Center in Arizona, US, showing severe symptoms, and died the same day, an email seen by local media suggests. 2 An autopsy later confirmed the presence of Yersinia pestis, the bacteria that causes plague. Officials said the individual had pneumonic plague, the rarest and most dangerous form of the disease. Unlike the more common bubonic type, pneumonic plague infects the lungs and spreads from person to person via airborne droplets. Without urgent treatment, it can kill within just 24 hours, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warns. No further details about the patient have been released. It is the first confirmed plague death in Coconino County, in northern Arizona, since 2007, when a case was linked to contact with a dead animal carrying the infection. The Coconino County government said the risk to the public of exposure remains low. "Our hearts go out to the family and friends of the deceased," Patrice Horstman from the county's Board of Supervisors Chair, said in a statement. "We are keeping them in our thoughts during this difficult time. "Out of respect for the family, no additional information about the death will be released." The Black Death The plague is infamously responsible for the 14th-century Black Death that wiped out half of Europe. It remains on both the WHO and UK Health Security Agency's (UKHSA) priority pathogen lists due to its potential to cause a pandemic. Though now rare and treatable with antibiotics, plague can still be deadly. Pneumonic cases in particular are fatal in up to 90 per cent of patients if left untreated. There are several forms of plague. Bubonic plague, the most common form, is usually spread through the bite of infected fleas. The disease can be transmitted to humans either by flea bites or through direct contact with infected animals, including pet dogs and cats. The main symptoms include swollen lymph nodes, usually in the neck, groin, thighs, or armpits. These swollen nodes, called buboes, can cause surrounding tissue to turn black and die, a symptom believed to have inspired the name "Black Death." Septicemic plague occurs when the infection spreads to the bloodstream. It can develop on its own or as a complication of bubonic plague, causing symptoms like fever, abdominal pain, shock, and bleeding into the skin and organs. Pneumonic plague, the most severe form, infects the lungs and can spread rapidly between humans through airborne droplets. It often starts as bubonic or septicemic plague that has spread to the lungs if left untreated. Symptoms include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, and sometimes coughing up blood. Pneumonic plague requires immediate medical attention. Last week, officials from the Coconino County Health Department reported several prairie dog deaths northeast of Flagstaff, which can be a sign of the disease. However, health officials have since confirmed that the recent human plague death is not connected to the prairie dog die-off. Risk to Brits is 'very low' The WHO estimates between 1,000 and 2,000 cases occur globally each year. On average, seven human plague cases are reported in the US each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Meanwhile, plague is no longer found in the UK, and the risk of imported cases is considered 'very low,' according to government guidance. However, Covid jab scientists are developing a Black Death vaccine over fears the disease could re-emerge and kill millions. The team behind the Oxford AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine said they had made progress on an injection that could prevent bubonic plague from developing The last significant British outbreak occurred in Suffolk in 1918, though a few isolated cases have been suspected since. History of the Black Death THE Black Death was an epidemic of bubonic plague which struck Europe and Asia in the 1300s. It killed more than 20 million people in Europe. Scientists now know the plague was spread by a bacillus known as yersina pestis. Bubonic plague can cause swelling of the lymph nodes. If untreated, it could spread to the blood and lungs. Other symptoms included fever, vomiting and chills. Physicians relied on treatments such as boil-lancing to bathing in vinegar as they tried to treat people with the plague. Some believed that the Black Death was a "divine punishment" - a form of retribution for sins against God
Time of India
13-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Arizona resident dies from pneumonic plague; What to know about the disease (symptoms, risk factors, treatment inside)
A Northern American resident has died from an ancient disease called pneumonic plague, health officials confirmed on Friday. On July 11, a resident of Coconino County died within hours of being rushed to Flagstaff Medical Center, where doctors confirmed pneumonic plague caused by Yersinia pestis. According to the local officials, the death in Coconino County was the first recorded death from pneumonic plague since 2007. Unlike the bubonic plague, this strain infects the lungs and can spread from person to person via respiratory droplets. Let's take a look at this rare disease, its symptoms, risk factors, and treatments. What is Pneumonic Plague? Pneumonic plague is a severe lung infection caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Symptoms include fever, headache, shortness of breath, chest pain, and coughing. They typically start about three to seven days after exposure. Forms of plague: Bubonic (lymph nodes), Septicemic (bloodstream), Pneumonic (lungs)—the deadliest and only form transmissible between humans. Transmission: Inhalation of infected droplets or progression from untreated bubonic/septicemic cases, and in rare animal-to-human instances. No human-to-human spread has been recorded in the US since 1924. What are the symptoms of the pneumonic plague? The symptoms of pneumonic plague begin one to four days after exposure to the bacteria. Although the early symptoms mostly consist of fever, headache, weakness, nausea, and a bloody or watery cough due to infection of the lungs (pneumonia), pulmonary symptoms include rapid breathing, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and cough with bloody or watery sputum. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The pneumonia rapidly becomes worse, and if left untreated, mortality is nearly certain within 18–36 hours. What are the risk factors of the pneumonic plague? Flea bites carrying the bacteria from wild rodents to humans, handling infected animals or carcasses, and inhaling respiratory droplets from infected hosts can be some of the common risk factors behind pneumonic plague. As per the Cleveland Clinic, this fatal disease can spread from person to person through coughing and sneezing, just like the common cold. You can also get it from close contact with infected animals or from bacteria moving to your lungs from another part of your body (secondary infection). Rural western US, like Northern Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado, are marked as geographic hotspots for the disease and average approximately 7 plague cases annually in the country. Diagnosis and treatment: The difference between the forms of plague is the location of infection; in pneumonic plague, the infection is in the lungs, in bubonic plague the lymph nodes, and in septicemic plague, within the blood. Diagnosis is by testing the blood, sputum, or fluid from a lymph node. Early treatment with appropriate antibiotics is essential because untreated plague – especially the pneumonic form – is almost always fatal. The antibiotic therapy is highly effective if started early – streptomycin, gentamicin, doxycycline, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol are standard options. However, you should use antibiotics to prevent or treat plague only under the direction of your healthcare provider or local health department. It is important to note that treatment must begin within 24 hours of symptom onset to avert fatality. Precaution and prevention tips: As per research , the case-fatality rate for pneumonic plague in the United States since 1950 approaches 50%. To prevent person-to-person transmission, patients with suspected pneumonic plague should be managed in isolation under respiratory droplet precautions. Wear gloves if you are handling or skinning potentially infected animals to prevent contact between your skin and the plague bacteria. Contact your local health department if you have questions about the disposal of dead animals. Model-actor Poonam Pandey dies of Cervical Cancer: All you need to know about this cancer and current treatments
