Utah man dies from plague in 4th fatal case in U.S. this year

This Aug. 6, 2015, photo, shows prairie dogs, in southern Utah. Utah health officials said Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, that a resident who died from the plague in August mostly likely contracted it from a prairie dog infected with the disease. State wildlife officials say the only confirmed outbreak of plague in prairie dogs this year was in an eastern Utah colony. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer) This Aug. 6, 2015, photo, shows prairie dogs, in southern Utah. Utah health officials said Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, that a resident who died from the plague in August mostly likely contracted it from a prairie dog infected with the disease. State wildlife officials say the only confirmed outbreak of plague in prairie dogs this year was in an eastern Utah colony. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)

By Associated Press August 27, 2015 3 min read

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – A Utah man in his 70s has died after contracting the plague, bringing to four the number of deaths from the disease reported in the United States this year, health officials said Thursday.

Officials are still trying to determine how the Utah person contracted the disease, but believe it might have been spread by a flea or contact with a dead animal, according to the state Department of Health.

“That’s the most common way to get it,” said JoDee Baker, an epidemiologist with the agency. “That’s probably what happened, but we’re still doing an investigation into that.”

Plague is a rare disease that is carried by rodents and spread by fleas. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 11 other cases have been reported in six states since April 1. The other three people who died were ages 16, 52 and 79.

Anywhere between one and 17 cases of the illness have been reported each year in the U.S. since 2000, according to the CDC. Deaths are rare, with no more than two a year having been recorded over the past 15 years.