New Mexico man dead from bubonic plague as concerns rise over ‘ongoing risk’ of rodent-borne disease

A New Mexico man has died of complications from the bubonic plague as state health officials scramble to assess the ongoing risk in the region.

The unidentified Lincoln Country resident had been hospitalized recently with the bacterial affliction, although the details surrounding how he contracted it and how his health deteriorated remain unclear, the state Department of Health (NMDOH) announced Friday.

Despite medics’ best efforts, the patient succumbed to his symptoms, marking New Mexico’s first recorded case of bubonic plague since 2021.

This was also the state’s first BP-related fatality since 2020; the state recorded four cases of the disease that year alone.

Plague “is a bacterial disease of rodents,” according to the health department, and generally spreads to humans through infected flea bites; it additionally can gain ground through direct contact with infected animals, such as rodents, wildlife and even pets. 

There is also risk due to breathing in dust contaminated by dried rodent urine or feces that harbors the bacteria.

The NMDOH is currently “conducting outreach to area residents” and has pledged to assess the community for “ongoing risk.”

“We extend our deepest sympathy to the family of the Lincoln County man who succumbed to plague,” said State Public Health Veterinarian Erin Phipps, DVM, MPH. “This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the threat posed by this ancient disease and emphasizes the need for heightened community awareness and proactive measures to prevent its spread.”

The bubonic plague is caused by Yersinia pestis, a bacterium that likely arrived in North America circa 1900 from rats that had stowed away aboard steamships coming from Southeast Asia.

Since then, the disease has become endemic to ground squirrels and rodents in the rural southwestern U.S., where the majority of the cases occur.

Once infected, patients experience a plethora of symptoms ranging from fever and chills to swollen lymph nodes known as buboes, from which the disease takes its name.

“The buboes form at the site of the bite from the infected rodent or flea,” explained Erica Susky, a certified infection control practitioner based in Canada.

While there is no vaccine, the plague can be remedied with antibiotics if caught early.

However, it can also become fatal if left untreated.

“Bubonic plague is a serious infectious illness alone, but can also develop quickly into more severe and deadly forms of plague,” Susky warned. “More serious forms include pneumonic and septicemic plague, which is where the bacteria invade the lungs and bloodstream.”

To mitigate the risk of transmission, experts advise people to prevent pets from roaming and hunting and to avoid sick or dead rodents and rabbits as well as their nests and burrows.

They should also immediately see their doctor if they experience an unexplained illness involving a sudden and severe fever.

Fortunately, contracting the bubonic plague in the U.S. is extremely rare, with an average of five to 15 cases occurring each year in the West.

Last month, an Oregon woman was infected with the disease, marking that state’s first case in a decade.