American man tests positive for plague after camping trip

While nothing has been confirmed yet, public health officials believe he "may have been bitten by an infected flea during a camping trip" in this popular hiking area in the west of the country. An investigation has been opened to find out more about the circumstances of the infection.

On the same subject

Health: The plague has not disappeared

Occurring in Africa, Asia, and the Americas, plague is one of the re-emerging diseases. To eradicate it, it is important to better understand the mechanisms of transmission between its various hosts.

The plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is still circulating in California. It is usually spread by fleas that have infected rodents such as rats or squirrels. Dogs and cats also sometimes bring these infected insects into their owners' homes. "It is naturally occurring in many parts of the state, including El Dorado County," said Kyle Fliflet, acting director of public health.

There have been no cases of human plague in El Dorado County since 2020. Surveillance of plague circulation by authorities between 2021 and 2024 has identified 41 rodents that tested positive for the bacterium that causes the disease. Since the beginning of 2025, four new cases have been confirmed, all in the Tahoe Basin. Globally, according to the Pasteur Institute , nearly 50,000 human cases were reported to the WHO by 26 countries (in Africa, Asia, and the Americas) between 1990 and 2020.

During the ^20th century, the Pasteur Institute explains, the use of antibiotic treatments and the strengthening of public health measures significantly reduced the morbidity and mortality due to this disease, but did not make it disappear.