What to Know About a Suspected Death From Pneumonic Plague

According to the BMJ report, Russia’s national public health agency said its authorities are responding with “anti-epidemic measures,” including ordering nearly 200 people to remain under observation, according to independent regional news outlet Liudi Baikala.

“We still have a lot to learn about this incident, but I think this was likely an unfortunate laboratory accident where protocols were not followed, leading to this very unfortunate outcome for this lab worker,” says Nicole Iovine, MD, chief hospital epidemiologist at the University of Florida Health in Gainesville and a clinical professor of infectious diseases and global medicine at the UF College of Medicine. “The plague is a very serious disease, but it's also a rare disease. So overall, I think the threat to the general population is very low, and it does not have pandemic potential.”

Pneumonic Plague Is Not Unheard of in the U.S.

• Bubonic plague affects the lymph nodes.
• Pneumonic plague attacks the lungs.
• Septicemic plague infects the blood.
• Pharyngeal plague affects the throat.

The bacterium responsible for plague is commonly spread by fleas. Humans typically contract bubonic plague after being bitten by an infected rodent flea or by handling an infected animal. When the bacteria enter the body through a flea bite, they tend to migrate to the lymph nodes.

Situation Is ‘Very Low’ Risk Outside Russia, WHO Says

Plague Risk Remains Low in the U.S.

If the Russian lab worker did, in fact, die from pneumonic plague, the risk to Americans is still very low, says Robert H. Hopkins, MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

“Plague can be transmitted from person to person, but it is only spread by contact with saliva or respiratory secretions directly from the infected person,” says Dr. Hopkins. “The likelihood this will become a pandemic is very small. Viruses like influenza and COVID much more easily pass from person to person than the plague bacteria.”

Dr. Iovine adds that infected people usually become ill very quickly and tend to isolate soon after. “It’s really unlikely that somebody with pneumonic plague is going to be out and about in public, potentially spreading it to the population at large,” she says. “The real risk is to close contacts, family members, and possibly healthcare workers.”

People can lower plague risk by avoiding areas known to have rodents with infected fleas, and by being cautious around dogs or cats that may have been exposed to these fleas.

Know the Symptoms of Plague and Get Treatment Fast

If you suspect you’ve been near a potential source of plague, be aware of these symptoms, per Cleveland Clinic:

• Chills
• Fever
• Headaches and body aches
• Weakness and fatigue
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea

When the infection is bubonic, it can cause painful, swollen lymph nodes, while septicemic cases can cause abdominal pain and bleeding from the nose and mouth, or under the skin. Pneumonic plague can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and bloody or watery mucus, and pharyngeal plague can cause sore throat.