Public Health Officials Warn of Human Plague Case in Colorado

The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment (PDPHE), in conjunction with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), is currently investigating a human case of plague based on preliminary test results.

The plague bacterium, known as Yersinia pestis, can be transmitted by fleas and wild rodents, such as prairie dogs, squirrels, rats, and rabbits.

According to the CDC, “Humans usually become infected through the bite of an infected rodent flea or by handling an infected animal.