Certain eras in history are defined by illness, but bar none the most legendary of all the historical pandemics is The Black Death. The pandemic is thought to have been caused by a strain of bubonic plague, an illness considered rare nowadays thanks to modern medicine. But it has not been fully eradicated, as a case of bubonic plague in Idaho was treated earlier this week. According to USA Today, the Idaho Central District Health Department announced on Tuesday the diagnosis of a child with bubonic plague. The patient, whose age and gender were not revealed, is reportedly recovering after receiving antibiotics. According to health officials, it has yet to be determined whether the patient acquired the illness in their hometown of Elmore County, or while on a recent trip to Oregon. It is easy to make the link between this case and one of the most deadly pandemics in history. Per Brittanica, The Black Death took place over a five-year period — between 1347 and 1351 — in Elizabethan Europe. It resulted in the deaths of as much as as one third of Europe's population. Bear in mind, though, a single case of bubonic plague is not reason to believe another pandemic is on the way. The semantics surrounding this illness are critical. First, the word "plague" does not just mean any old widespread affliction. Rather, it is defined by Britannica as an infectious fever caused by a specific type of bacteria called Yersinia pestis. It is typically transmitted to humans by rodents that have been bitten by infected fleas. Per Mayo Clinic, in humans, plague has three clinical presentations: pneumonic, septicemic, and bubonic. Pneumonic (think pneumonia) plague occurs when the bacteria invades a person's lungs. It is the rarest of the three, but also the most dangerous. Pneumonic plague is highly contagious, and is transmittable through cough droplets in the air. Septicemic plague occurs when the bacteria invades a person's bloodstream. Bubonic plague — the diagnosis in Idaho — is the most common of the three clinical presentations. It is characterized, according to Mayo Clinic, by the presence of swollen lymph nodes, or buboes. These are typically observable in the armpits or groin. Though an estimated 25 million people died as a result of The Black Death, according to National Geographic, the chances of this taking place again because of the recent case in Idaho are virtually nonexistent. Not only has medicine advanced a great deal in the centuries since the pandemic, but new evidence suggests the disease was not in fact spread by rats. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggests human fleas and body lice — not rats — likely had a role in the large number of people infected. Having a deeper insight into the details surrounding the Black Death enables the prevention of future pandemics. Plus, this is not the first case of bubonic plague seen since The Black Death. USA Today reports eight cases of bubonic plague have been confirmed since 1990; six in Oregon and two in Idaho. In a press release (pictured above) from Idaho’s Central District Health Department, officials acknowledge plague had been identified in ground squirrels in both the Elmore and south Ada regions of the state during 2015 and 2016. But, no unusual activity (or major "die offs") have been observed this year. Epidemiologist Sarah Correll with Idaho’s Central District Health Department notes, "People can decrease their risk by treating their pets for fleas and avoiding contact with wildlife.” Further, she suggests people "Wear insect repellant, long pants and socks when visiting plague-affected areas." Though, the argument could be made that wearing insect repellant and long pants is a good idea even if you are not in a plague-affected area. Other insect-born illnesses are also on the rise.<doc-sep>Idaho's Central District Health Department reported on Tuesday that a child in Elmore County was recovering from the bubonic plague. Known as the "Black Death," the plague wiped out roughly one-third of Europe's population in the mid-1300's. But it is quite rare in modern times. As in, the 'Black Death' is still around? Evidently. It's unknown whether the child — whose identity was not disclosed — contracted the disease in Idaho or in Oregon while on a recent vacation. In a press release, the Health Department said that "Plague has historically been found in wildlife in both states," and that "since 1990, eight human cases were confirmed in Oregon and two were confirmed in Idaho." The child who was diagnosed in Idaho this week was treated with antibiotics. What can be done to prevent getting the plague? The Central District Health Department suggested the following measures to take in protecting humans and pets from the plague: Don't touch or handle wild rodents or their carcasses Keep your pets from roaming and hunting rodents. This is important — when an animal dies from the plague, fleas leave the body and look for another host, which could be your pet, especially if it rolls in a carcass or eats it. Talk to your veterinarian about flea control for your pets before venturing out to ground squirrel areas, and follow the directions on the label. Not all flea products are safe for dogs and cats. Don't feed rodents in campgrounds, picnic areas, or near your home. Clean up areas near your home where rodents could live. Store hay, wood and compost piles as far as possible away from your home. Don't leave pet food and water where rodents can get to them. Further, the Center for Disease Control noted other preventative measures include wearing gloves when handling animals that could be infected, and preventing pets from sleeping in the same bed as humans. It adds that while new plague vaccines are in development, they aren't expected to available any time soon. Currently in the U.S., a plague vaccine is no longer available.<doc-sep>A boy in Idaho has contracted the first case of bubonic plague the state has seen for 26 years, according to health officials. The child, who remains unidentified, was treated with antibiotics in the hospital and is now recovering at home in a stable condition. The Central District Health Department, which announced the news of the bubonic plague’s return, said it was unclear whether the boy had contracted the disease in Idaho or on a recent trip to Oregon. Health officials said ground squirrels near the child’s home in Elmore County, Idaho, had tested positive for carrying the disease in 2015 and 2016, though no cases have been reported since. “Plague is spread to humans through a bite from an infected flea,” said Sarah Correll, an epidemiologist at the Central District Health Department. “People can decrease their risk by treating their pets for fleas and avoiding contact with wildlife. Wear insect repellent, long pants and socks when visiting plague affected areas.” Bubonic plague, also known as the “black death,” swept Europe in the Middle Ages, killing millions of people. It can now be treated relatively easily thanks to modern medicine.Left untreated, bubonic plague’s symptoms can include visibly swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fever and vomiting. But the bubonic plague can still be deadly. Last year, a bubonic plague outbreak hit Madagascar, killing over 200 people. Get The Brief. Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. Please enter a valid email address. * The request timed out and you did not successfully sign up. Please attempt to sign up again. Sign Up Now An unexpected error has occurred with your sign up. Please try again later. Check the box if you do not wish to receive promotional offers via email from TIME. You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Thank you! For your security, we've sent a confirmation email to the address you entered. Click the link to confirm your subscription and begin receiving our newsletters. If you don't get the confirmation within 10 minutes, please check your spam folder. Write to Billy Perrigo at billy.perrigo@time.com.<doc-sep>
When a child in Idaho had a spiking fever this week, his parents rushed him to a health care provider. They were surprised to learn that he had an unlikely case of the bubonic plague. One of the oldest identifiable diseases known to man, the plague is still widely spread in warm parts of the world. It's mostly transmitted through rodents and fleas, but humans can also be infected. It's possible that the U.S. case came from an animal bite or a fleabite, Christine Myron, public information officer at the Central District Health Department in Idaho told Newsweek. "People can decrease their risk by treating their pets for fleas and avoiding contact with wildlife," Sarah Correll, a Central District Health Department epidemiologist, said in a statement. Local health officials suspect that the boy contracted the disease when he was playing outside on a family trip to Oregon, but they don't know for sure. The boy is now resting at home and is expected to survive. "He is recovering and doing well," said Myron. Human infection cases in the United States are relatively rare. In recent decades, an average of seven human plague cases have been reported each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). This most recent case marks the first human diagnosis in Idaho since 1992, but in recent years there have been outbreaks in the local squirrel population. Epidemiologists warn that people still need to be careful about what animals they come into contact with. "It could still be out there in our wildlife," said Myron. The plague was brought to the United States around 1900 by rat-infested steamships that had sailed from areas with high infection rates. Port cities suffered the consequences and plague epidemics flourished, until there was a slow halt in the 1920s. The disease was later spread from urban rats to rural rodent populations, and a small number of cases have since emerged in rural areas, according to the CDC. The bubonic plague is the most common form of plague and is characterized by painful swollen lymph nodes. If the infection is not treated right away, the inflamed lymph nodes can turn into open sores filled with pus, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Plague can be a very severe disease in people, with a fatality rate of up to 60 percent. Early diagnosis and early treatment can save lives since antibiotic treatment is effective against the plague bacteria. "Unfortunately it is a reminder that it is still out there and people certainly need to be aware," said Myron.