Pneumonic Dog Plague Infects Humans in US; Symptoms Include Fever & Bloody Cough

A dog has infected its owner and three other people with the Yersinia pestis bacteria, which causes the pneumonic plague. It is more commonly known as the Black Death that ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages, reports CBS News.  

According to the site, the pneumonic plague outbreak occurred last year when a Colorado dog contracted the deadly bacteria. It was possibly transferred by a flea from an infected prairie dog.  

Dr. John Douglas, executive director of the Tri-County Health Department, stated that the regular carriers of plague are usually prairie dogs, whose fleas are known to transfer to other animals such as domesticated dogs. The pitbull terrier that infected its owner was likely to have been infected in this manner. 

A total of four people were infected with the deadly virus, which has a fatality rate of 93 percent on untreated patients. The dog was put to sleep due to a variety of symptoms such as fever and jaw rigidity, according to ABC News. Its owner, one of the owner's friends, and two veterinary clinic workers who treated the dog began to develop similar symptoms immediately. 

Particularly unusual about the incident was the fact that the dog's symptoms were very overt after contacting the bacteria, to the point when the infection was severe enough to have passed directly onto humans.  

"Usually, when a dog gets exposed to the plague, they either don't get sick from it or they develop such a mild illness that you wouldn't know the dog was sick." Dr. Douglas stated. 

The dog's owner, an otherwise very healthy, middle-aged man, developed fever and a cough three days after the pitbull terrier was euthanized. Coughing up blood, he was hospitalized with an initial diagnosis of pneumonia until doctors later identified his symptoms as that of the plague's. 

According to CBS News, Dr. Aaron Glatt, an expert of the Infectious Diseases Society of America stated that though the thought of the plague may be scary, it is "not something that people should panic about." 

Though the Pneumonic Plague is indeed a very deadly disease, it is treatable provided that the patient gets enough proper medical attention as soon as possible. 

"It turns out that it is quite treatable if you suspect it and diagnose it," Dr. Douglas stated, "The problem is it's such an uncommon disease that if you don't consider it as part of your diagnosis, you may not do the right test and know what you're dealing with."