Plague is a severe and dangerous disease which shares a fairly close relationship with human history. Indeed, the bubonic plague which is one of the most common forms of plague was the most significant pandemic in the history of mankind. If she disappeared from France for decades already, this disease is still raging on other continents like Africa, Asia and America. Mainly carried by rats, plague is transmitted to humans through the bite of fleas from infected rodents, but also by air. The plague being a rather dangerous disease, a too late assumption of responsibility almost always means the death of the victim. So it is very important that you have a clear idea of the details related to the plague disease.
What is the plague?
Plague belongs to the category of zoonoses. This is a term used to refer to diseases transmitted by animals. The agent responsible for the onset of plague is a bacterium extremely virulent. Known as Yersinia pestis or Yersin’s bacillus, it has been discovered by researcher Alexandre Yersin in 1894.
This bacterium has the particularity of being very resistant to cold. There are two identified forms of plague and bubonic plague is the most common form that can be contracted by humans. It is generally found in the body of rodents, and is transmitted to humans following a flea bite.
The latter having previously stung an infected animal. Pulmonary plague is the second most common form of plague. Much rarer than the first, its infection occurs through the air. One of the most exceptional characteristics of this disease is its peculiarity to “die out” for several years and then reappear in the form of epidemics.
Signs and symptoms of plague
Once an individual is infected with the bacteria, the bacteria benefit from a incubation period of 1 to 7 days. Throughout this period, the victim is unlikely to experience any problems. It is only following the incubation period that the infected subject exhibits an acute febrile state and other nonspecific systemic symptoms.
Among these symptoms you have a fever which is as sudden as it is severe, chills, headache, body aches, constant weakness, vomiting and nausea. Depending on the form of plague you have, you may experience different types of symptoms.
In the case of bubonic plague, when the bacteria enter the body following the bite, it passes through the lymphatic system and reaches the nearest lymph node where it begins to replicate. Its multiplication causes inflammation of the ganglion with painful tension of the tissues.
Once the disease reaches a very advanced stage, the inflamed nodes eventually ulcerate and suppurate. Note that while human-to-human transmission of bubonic plague is quite rare, it is still possible. In addition, bubonic plague may very well progress and spread to lungs.
This then leads to an even more serious lung disease known as pulmonary plague. According to several experts it is the most serious form of plague. Although pulmonary plague is the most virulent form of the disease, it is also very rare. The incubation period of the virus in question may only be 24 hours.
When an individual suffers from pulmonary plague, he can easily pass the disease on to others by respiratory droplets. If not diagnosed as soon as possible and treated early, this form can be fatal in the majority of cases.
Fortunately, cure rates are relatively very high in people where it is detected and treated on time (within 24 hours of symptom onset).
Diagnosis and treatment of plague
Anyone suffering from bubonic or pulmonary plague has symptoms that can be noticed quite easily with a little attention. However, to confirm that there is indeed a case of plague in an area, doctors necessarily need to do laboratory analyzes.
How to diagnose plague?
The best way to check for infection will be to identify the causative agent (Y. pestis) in a sample of pus from a patient’s bubo. It is also possible to analyze the patient’s blood or sputum. There are several different techniques that can detect a specific bacillus antigen.
One of these techniques is a simple and quick test carried out on a strip, which has been validated in the laboratory and whose use has now become widespread in countries where the plague is still active today.
How to treat the plague?
Once the disease has been diagnosed, it is then necessary to proceed to its treatment. Since, if left untreated, plague can lead to rapid death of the patient, the patient should receive treatment as soon as possible. Earlier diagnosis and treatment is an essential combination for survival and limitation of complications.
As long as the diagnosis can be made in time, the patient will need to take antibiotics and undergo symptomatic treatment. Common antibiotics are quite effective once morest Enterobacteriaceae (Gram-negative bacilli) and can even be cured if given early.
Means of prevention
Bubonic plague prevention measures are fairly straightforward to understand. The most important thing will be to first identify if there is indeed a case of plague in a specific area. The authorities will then have to take responsibility for informing the general public of the presence and the risks of manifestation of a epidemic zoonotic plague in the region.
They should also advise the public to take the necessary precautions once morest flea bites and not to handle animal carcasses. The population will also have to take the trouble toto avoid direct contact with liquids bodily and infected tissue.
Among the means of prevention, the there is also a plague vaccine. However, it was very quickly abandoned by the WHO because it had too many side effects. Experts say a new vaccine is being developed and evaluated in humans, but it is not effective once morest pneumonic plague.
