Boy Scout infected with bubonic plague,

August 26, 2008

An 18-year-old Boy Scout from Connecticut is recovering at home after becoming infected with bubonic plague, possibly in Wyoming.

The teen was among hundreds of scouts who built trails and did other service work late last month. The Wyoming Department of Health is trying to determine how he became infected.

The teen traveled to multiple sites in the area, including Yellowstone National Park. Where the teen contracted the disease is not known.

According to the Centers For Disease Control, bubonic plague is not spread from person to person. Infection usually comes after being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or handling an infected animal.

Bubonic plague is a potentially fatal bacterial infection. It causes swollen, tender lymph nodes, high fever and chills.

Ten to 20 cases occur in the United States each year, according to the CDD. About 1 in 7 cases in the U.S. are fatal.

http://www.nbc30.com/health/17299018/detail.html