Yes, you read that right: plague. Centuries after it ravaged Europe in the Middle Ages, plague remains endemic in the western U.S. Here’s why—and the risk it poses to humans today
. Florida and other parts of the South also had outbreaks, but plague never managed to establish itself there long-term. Scientists suspect it might be related to the differences in the soil in the West combined with the burrowing lifestyles of local rodents.
“The hypothesis is that … these provide an ecologic niche in which [plague] can persist and exist,” Mead says. It’s possible that the arid western soil makes for a better home for plague or for the amoebae. But he and other experts say it’s ultimately still a mystery why plague is only seen in the western U.S.
Modern outbreaks are mostly seen in rural areas, where rodent colonies tend to be larger, Mead says. Improved sanitation and building codes in cities have also helped urban rates decrease. Outbreaks in cities do still occur, however—includingThere are typically a dozen or so reports of plague in animals each year, typically during the summer, according to Mead. But it’s not clear what drives infections.
You therefore might face some risk of being bitten by an infected flea if you happen to walk through a prairie dog colony with individuals that have recently died from plague. But “unless you’re living next to a prairie dog colony in the western U.S., I think your risk is essentially zero,” Wagner says.
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