Plague Case Disclosed in Inner Mongolia

The Centre for Health Protection (CHP) of the Department of Health in Hong Kong announced on August 24, 2021, it is closely monitoring a bubonic plague case in Ordos, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

According to the Health Commission in Ordos, a female livestock farm worker was diagnosed with the bubonic plague on August 21st. She remains in critical condition. However, close contacts of the patient have remained asymptomatic and tested negative for the plague.

A spokesman for the CHP said, "Plague is transmitted from an infected animal (rodents) to humans through the bite of its fleas."

"Plague can also be contracted when cuts or other breaks in the skin come into contact with the body fluid or tissue of infected animals."

"Consumption of infected animal tissues and inhalation of infected respiratory droplets are also a possible mode of transmission."

Patients infected with bubonic plague usually present with fever, headache, and painful swelling of the regional lymph nodes, especially around the groin. The infection can progress to septicaemic plague when the bacteria invade the human bloodstream.

The spokesman reminded travelers to avoid visiting plague-endemic areas.

"Travellers returning from affected areas with a sudden onset of fever, shaking chills, body pains, or chest discomfort should seek medical advice as soon as possible and reveal their travel history for prompt investigation and management." the spokesman added.

Plague is an ancient disease that has killed millions of persons, including one-third of the population of Europe during the Black Death pandemic in the 14th century. Plague remains a threat in many parts of the world and has been categorized by the World Health Organization as a re-emerging disease.

According to the U.S. CDC, over 80% of United States plague cases have been bubonic form. In recent decades, an average of seven human plague cases has been reported each year. Most human cases in the United States occur in two regions: Northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, and southern Colorado; California, southern Oregon, and far western Nevada.

Prophylactic vaccination counteracting this disease is certainly a primary choice, but the U.S. FDA has not Approved one. New plague vaccines are in development but are not expected to be commercially available in the immediate future, says the CDC. 

In this 2019 review published by the journal Nature, advances in research and development of plague vaccines were presented.