Bubonic Plague Now Found In Teenage Girl In Oregon

No. You didn't time-travel back to medieval times.

A teenage girl from eastern Oregon has contracted the bubonic plague, according to health officials. They believe she may have acquired the disease from a flea bite while on a hunting trip in the area, according to ABC News.

When you hear the medical term "bubonic plague," your mind might jump back into the dark ages. But it's true. There have been more cases of it today than you'd probably ever want to know.

In fact, between 2000 and 2009, over 20,000 people became infected with it--contracting the disease from eating rodents and bad camel meat or sick herding dogs, according to Live Science.

The bubonic plague is caused by one of three types of bacterial infections from Yersinia pestis. Within three to seven days after exposure, flu like symptoms may start to develop. The health issue can typically be diagnosed by testing blood or lymph node fluids.

The way this infection hits humans is that the disease is first carried in rodents. It's when they die of it that their fleas become infected--increasing our infection risk via a bite. 

Fortunately, if caught early, the plague can be treated with antibiotics.

The girl is currently at a hospital in an intensive care unit, though her condition is unknown at this time, according to officials.

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