Utah Man Contracts Plague
SALT LAKE CITY, Ut-An adult male living on a reservation in Utah has become ill with the plague after taking care of a relative's sick cat in Arizona.
Officials are not saying whether fleas on the cat are the cause of the man's illness, but the plague has been reported in northern Arizona in the last month.
The human form of the plague is rare and believe to be caused by fleas that feed on rodents infected with the bacteria, Yersinia pestis. The plague can develop three different ways in humans. The infection can enter the lymph nodes, the bloodstream, or the lungs. When the infection is in the lymph nodes it is called bubonic plague, which killed millions of Europeans during the Middle Ages.
Present day, however, there has not been an outbreak of the plague in an urban area since 1924, when people became infected in Los Angeles. There are naturally occurring areas in places through the US where rodents live. There are an estimated 10-15 rural cases reported each year. The "hot zones" within the US run from the Pacific Coast to the Great Plains, and from southwestern Canada to Mexico.
American outbreaks usually occur in northern Arizona, southern Colorado, California, southern Oregon, and Nevada.
Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates 1,000-3,000 cases of the plague annually.
Information from www.arizonarepublic.com, www.cdc.gov
Newsletter
Stay prepared and protected with Infection Control Today's newsletter, delivering essential updates, best practices, and expert insights for infection preventionists.
Reducing Hidden Risks: Why Sharps Injuries Still Go Unreported
July 18th 2025Despite being a well-known occupational hazard, sharps injuries continue to occur in health care facilities and are often underreported, underestimated, and inadequately addressed. A recent interview with sharps safety advocate Amanda Heitman, BSN, RN, CNOR, a perioperative educational consultant, reveals why change is overdue and what new tools and guidance can help.
New Study Explores Oral Vancomycin to Prevent C difficile Recurrence, But Questions Remain
July 17th 2025A new clinical trial explores the use of low-dose oral vancomycin to prevent Clostridioides difficile recurrence in high-risk patients taking antibiotics. While the data suggest a possible benefit, the findings stop short of statistical significance and raise red flags about vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), underscoring the delicate balance between prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.
What Lies Beneath: Why Borescopes Are Essential for Verifying Surgical Instrument Cleanliness
July 16th 2025Despite their smooth, polished exteriors, surgical instruments often harbor dangerous contaminants deep inside their lumens. At the HSPA25 and APIC25 conferences, Cori L. Ofstead, MSPH, and her colleagues revealed why borescopes are an indispensable tool for sterile processing teams, offering the only reliable way to verify internal cleanliness and improve sterile processing effectiveness to prevent patient harm.
The Next Frontier in Infection Control: AI-Driven Operating Rooms
Published: July 15th 2025 | Updated: July 15th 2025Discover how AI-powered sensors, smart surveillance, and advanced analytics are revolutionizing infection prevention in the OR. Herman DeBoard, PhD, discusses how these technologies safeguard sterile fields, reduce SSIs, and help hospitals balance operational efficiency with patient safety.
Targeting Uncertainty: Why Pregnancy May Be the Best Time to Build Vaccine Confidence
July 15th 2025New national survey data reveal high uncertainty among pregnant individuals—especially first-time parents—about vaccinating their future children, underscoring the value of proactive engagement to strengthen infection prevention.
