The plague reappeared in California. Here’s how dangerous it is

The plague, aka the Black Death, made a reappearance in California last week after it infected a South Lake Tahoe resident.

The person contracted the rare and dangerous disease after being bitten by an infected flea while camping in the South Lake Tahoe area, according to El Dorado County health officials. The patient is recovering at home.

Most people associate the term “plague” with the massive and destructive event that killed 25 million Europeans in the Middle Ages, professor John Swartzberg told my colleague Karen Garcia. But it has also made several appearances in California within the last decade.

A plague case was reported in El Dorado County in 2020, and two other cases were reported in California in 2015, suspected to have been caused by bites from an infected flea or rodent in Yosemite National Park. All three patients received treatment and made a full recovery, health officials said.

Even though medical advancements have made the deadly disease treatable, it hasn’t been eliminated.

Here’s more from experts on why the plague is still around and how dangerous it is.

How the plague is contracted

The plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis and primarily affects small animals or rodents in the United States, Swartzberg said.

It can spread to humans and pets from the bite of an infected flea or from coming into close contact with or handling an infected rodent.

There are three types of the plague:

• Bubonic plague, with the trademark swollen lymph nodes.
• Septicemic plague, when the infection spreads throughout the body.
• Pneumonic plague, which infects the lungs.

More than 80% of plague cases in the U.S. have been in the bubonic form.

The principal source of plague in Los Angeles County is wild rodents in rural areas. Woodland creatures that could carry the disease and should be avoided include chipmunks, wood rats, mice and marmots.

Most people who do contract the plague do so while hiking or camping in these areas and are unknowingly bitten by an infected flea, said Ashok Chopra, professor of microbiology and immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch.

Where the plague could be contracted in SoCal

Public health officials say the plague occurs in foothills, plateaus, mountains and along the coast but is largely absent from the southeastern desert region and the Central Valley.

Areas in Los Angeles County with the highest risk are the rural recreational and wilderness areas of the Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountains, county officials said.

People and their pets can get the plague if they visit or live in areas where wild rodents are naturally infected, according to the Los Angeles County Public Health Department. People who live in close contact with rats also are at greater risk of getting the disease from the possibly infected rodents.

Why the plague has stuck around

Although there have been several vaccine candidates to ward off the plague, there aren’t any Food and Drug Administration-approved inoculations for the disease, Chopra said.

The disease also isn’t a top priority for infectious-disease experts or public health officials because it’s under control. It is still extremely uncommon and infects on average seven people in the U.S. per year.

The plague can be treated with antibiotics, and if we get treatment in a timely manner, there’s little to fear, according to experts.

But if left untreated, it can be fatal.

Today’s top stories

The Supreme Court could give immigration agents broad power to stop and question Latinos

• This year’s most far-reaching immigration case is likely to decide whether immigration agents in Los Angeles are free to stop, question and arrest Latinos they suspect are here illegally.
• The case began on June 18 when three Pasadena residents were arrested at a bus stop where they were waiting to be picked up for a job.
• If the court rules for President Trump, it “could be enormously consequential” in Los Angeles and nationwide, one expert said.

UC moves to negotiate with the Trump administration over $1-billion fine

• The University of California has engaged with Trump to restore more than half a billion dollars in grant cuts and avoid a $1-billion fine over antisemitism charges.
• Talks are in early stages, no deal has been reached, and either side could still file a lawsuit.

Why a cannabis tax cut could spell trouble for children

• A fight over taxes consumers pay for cannabis products has prompted a standoff between unusual adversaries: child-care advocates and the legal weed industry.
• On July 1, California’s cannabis excise tax increased from 15% to 19% as part of a political deal struck in 2022 to help stabilize the fledgling legal market. But the industry now says the increase is untenable as it faces a sharp decline in revenue and unfair competition from the growing illicit market.
• An industry-sponsored bill moving through the Legislature would eliminate the tax increase — and the resulting loss in revenue would cut millions in funding for subsidized child care.

What else is going on

Commentary and opinions

This morning’s must reads

Other must reads

For your downtime

Going out

Staying in

A question for you: What are your favorite places to eat and drink in the San Fernando Valley?

Shannon Yates writes, “My favorite place to eat in the Valley is the Country Deli in Chatsworth. I’ve been going there all my life and have to get a pastrami sandwich on rye anytime I’m in the area.”

Jeanette Hernandez writes, “If no one has mentioned Poquito Mas, let me be one of the first. Poquito Mas has authentic tasting burritos and salsa. The service is friendly and fast. I think their flour tortillas and chips are the best.”

Email us at essentialcalifornia@latimes.com, and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.

And finally … your photo of the day

Today’s great photo is from Times photographer Allen J. Schaben in Huntington Beach, where hundreds of volunteers, people of all ages with disabilities, and families came together for a day in the ocean.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Jim Rainey, staff reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

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