Bubonic Plague Found in Oregon Teenager

The authorities in Oregon have confirmed a case of the bubonic plague in a teenage girl who was believed to have contracted the disease from a flea bite. Plague is rare and treatable with antibiotics if caught early, but federal authorities have been puzzled by an increase in cases this year. In a statement, state and local health officials in Oregon said they thought the girl was infected during a hunting trip on Oct. 16 near Heppner, a city located at the foothills of the Blue Mountains in the northeastern region of the state. She fell ill on Oct. 21 and was hospitalized days later. She is now in the intensive care unit...more