Bubonic plague from time to time shows up in New Mexico.
It’s speculated that it is spread by rats that eat pinion pine nuts and urinate on them. Humans pick up the nuts and eat them.
Not sure this is the actual vector, but the plague still exists in the real world. Different strain? Not sure.
“Not sure this is the actual vector”
A couple of years ago a hunter got it from the vermin infesting a rabbit he shot. I have also heard of plague in prairie dog towns.