The death of a laboratory worker at a Russian anti-plague research center has raised concern over the possible spread of pneumonic plague, a severe lung infection that can progress rapidly and spread between people.
The U.S. State Department said it was “aware of reports of a fatal case of suspected pneumonic plague” and was monitoring the situation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a spokesperson said.
The lab employee was identified as a woman in her late 20s who worked at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Institute of Siberia, according to Rospotrebnadzor, a Russian health and consumer protection agency.
Where Was the Suspected Plague Case?
Russia isolated dozens of people following the worker’s death, according to Igor Kobzev, the governor of Irkutsk Oblast. The worker was diagnosed with pneumonia of “unknown” origin. Those quarantined had shown no signs of infection as of Oct. 5.
What Are the Symptoms of Pneumonic Plague?
Plague is an infectious disease caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria, which can be found in wild rodents, small mammals and their fleas.
The World Health Organization identifies three main forms of plague infection:
- Bubonic: The most common form, caused by flea bites.
- Septicemic: The bacteria can multiply rapidly in the bloodstream.
- Pneumonic: The most virulent form, with a short incubation period.
Pneumonic plague is the most dangerous form and can spread from person to person, causing severe outbreaks. According to the CDC, it develops when the bacteria spread to a patient’s lungs. Symptoms typically include fever, chills, body aches, weakness and swollen lymph nodes. They can appear in less than 24 hours and rapidly progress to severe breathing problems and coughing, sometimes with blood.
Plague can be treated effectively with common antibiotics if it is detected early enough.
How Does Plague Spread?
According to the WHO, plague can spread through the bite of infected fleas, direct contact with infected tissues or inhalation of infected respiratory droplets. People infected with Yersinia pestis often develop symptoms after an incubation period of one to seven days.
Plague can be very severe. The WHO says the case-fatality ratio is 30% to 60% for bubonic plague. Pneumonic and septicemic plague are fatal when left untreated.
The disease killed at least 25 million people in Europe and Eurasia during the 14th-century pandemic known as the Black Death.
Where Has Plague Been Reported in Recent Years?
The WHO documented nearly 4,000 suspected and confirmed plague cases between 2019 and 2025. The organization says outbreaks have occurred in Africa, Asia and South America, with most human cases concentrated in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar.
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