July 10th 2024.
The bubonic plague, a deadly disease responsible for the Black Death, is still present today, but thankfully, it is rare and can be cured. Recently, a case of bubonic plague was detected in a human in Colorado, causing concern among health officials. This disease, which killed up to 50 million people from 1346 to 1353, is not to be taken lightly.
Alicia Solis from the Pueblo County's Office of Communicable Disease and Emergency Preparedness, urges people to seek medical attention if they experience any symptoms of the plague. The county's health department immediately launched an investigation last Friday after preliminary tests showed the presence of the bacteria, Yersinia pestis, which causes the plague. On Monday, a positive case was confirmed. But what exactly are the symptoms, how is the plague spread, and is there a cure?
Bubonic plague is caused by a bacterium called Yersinia pestis, typically found in rodents, small mammals, and their fleas. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), human-to-human transmission of the bubonic plague is rare. However, there have been cases where the disease has been spread through flea bites, direct contact with infected bodily fluids, and inhaling droplets from an infected person or animal. It can only be transmitted from human to human when the infected person develops pneumonic plague, the most severe form of the disease. This is how the virus caused the catastrophic Black Death pandemic in the Middle Ages, wiping out around half of Europe's population. Recently, a study suggests that body lice may have also played a significant role in spreading the plague, along with rats and fleas.
Dr. David Bland and his colleagues at the United States National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases conducted a lab study that showed human body lice are more efficient at transmitting Yersinia pestis than previously thought. Their findings, published in the journal PLoS Biology, suggest that body lice may have contributed to previous pandemics. This discovery sheds light on the possibility that body lice may have played a more significant role in spreading the plague than previously believed.
Plague has been found in animals on all continents except Oceania, and there have been reported cases around the world from 2010 to 2015. However, it has been most common in Africa since the 1990s. Madagascar reports the highest number of cases each year, followed by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Peru. But this doesn't mean countries like the USA are exempt from the plague. On average, there are seven reported cases each year, mostly in rural areas in the western part of the country. This year, Oregon reported its first case in nearly a decade, and just a month later, a man died from the disease in New Mexico. The northern states and southern parts of Oregon are among the six areas with the highest number of human cases in the USA.
Symptoms of the plague can appear anywhere from one to eight days after infection. The first sign is usually an inflamed, tense, and painful lymph node, called a "bubo," which is closest to the bite where the bacteria entered the body. If left untreated, the inflamed lymph nodes can turn into open pus-filled sores. Other symptoms may include fever, headache, chills, and weakness. If the disease spreads to the lungs, it can cause shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing, and sometimes, bloody or watery mucous. This is known as pneumonic plague. If left untreated, bubonic plague can lead to tissue necrosis, where skin and other tissues turn black and die.
Thankfully, with modern medicine, the bubonic plague is no longer the death sentence it was in the 14th century. Early diagnosis and treatment with antibiotics are key to survival. It is essential for people to educate themselves on the symptoms and seek medical attention if they experience any. The bubonic plague may still be around, but with proper precautions and access to adequate healthcare, it can be cured. Let us all do our part in preventing the spread of this deadly disease.
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