A man contracted bubonic plague in Oregon: some clues about this "medieval" disease. The plague is not common, but it is not unheard of in the western United States.
It's different from Alaska smallpox, a recently discovered rare disease that killed a man last month. Here are some things to keep in mind about what plague is, who is at risk, and how a disease that was once a harbinger of death became a treatable disease. And what are the symptoms and treatments today.