The Plague Disease
Plague is a form of dangerous, life-threatening, and infectious disease primarily caused by Yersinia pestis, a gram-negative, rod-shaped coccobacillus bacterium, without spores. It is a facultative anaerobic organism that can infect humans through the Oriental rat flea (Xenopsylla cheopis). In animals such as rodents or rats, this bacterium is primarily found and then transmitted via the insects that feed on these animals' blood. There are many names for this disease such as Black Plague, because black rats are the carriers of this deadly disease.
WHAT'S THE PLAGUE?The plague is a disease caused by Yersinia pestis, a bacterium that is found in animals, particularly rodents.
It can be transmitted through infected animals and fleas to humans.
The plague was also known as the 'Black Death' in the Middle Ages (5th-15th century), as it was responsible for the deaths of millions of people in Europe.
Three forms of plague exist:
1. Bubonic plague: This infects the lymphatic system of a person (which is part of their immune system), causing the lymph nodes to become inflamed. If left untreated, the bubonic plague may even be turned into septicemic plague pneumonics. Fever, chills, fatigue and headaches are among the symptoms.
2. Pneumonic plague: According to WHO, the 'most virulent form of plague' is pneumonic plague and can be fatal within 24 to 72 hours. It happens when the lungs are polluted by bacteria. It is the only kind of plague that can be spread from human to human. Chest pain, fever and cough are all symptoms. It is highly infectious and can be spread by coughing.
3. Septicemic plague: This is when bacteria join and spread in the blood stream.
PLAGUE CAUSES
Plague is caused by multiple means of communication, contributing to the disease becoming widespread.
• It is induced by sneezing.
• Consumption of food or water that has been infected.
• By touching the soil or other infected surface.
• It is also activated by direct physical contact with the person being infected.
• Insect bites that have previously fed on infected animals such as mice, squirrels, rabbits, etc.
PLAGUE SYMPTOMS
Plague signs and symptoms vary with the forms and days of infection. The few severe symptoms of the plague are listed below.
• A fever
• Nausea
• Convulsions
• Diarrhoea
• Generalized vulnerability
• Sensation of Vomiting
• Headache
• Problems with breathing
• Swelling in the articulations
• Pains in the muscles and joints
• Pressure inside the area of the abdomen
• Extreme cough with chest-area pain.
HOW WILL THE PLAGUE BE TREATED AND CONTROLLED?The disease is a life-threatening condition, but can be treated with antibiotics if detected early. However, the disease can lead to severe illnesses and even death without timely treatment.
Antibiotics alone are often not enough, but intravenous fluids and extra oxygen are often needed to treat a person.
Many that are infected with pneumonic plague are kept in isolation because it is highly contagious and a dose of antibiotics is given to people in close contact with the person infected as a preventive measure.
Other prevention steps to curb a plague outbreak are to maintain control of the rodent population with pest control measures..