Wanted: Plague
On the look out for Yersinia Pestis?
What to look for:
Yersinia pestis is a gram negative, rod shaped coccoballius member of the Enterobacteraceae family. It must be contained in the blood to survive. It causes a well known disease called the Plague.
Where it's found
Y. pestis can be found on the flea of a rodent. Once the flea gets infected, if it tries to feed on a human the bacteria will form a blockage in the stomach and not allow any blood to enter. The flea will then regurgitate the virus into the host or human.
Symptoms of infection
Three most common forms of plague-
- Bubonic- consists of extremely swollen or tender lymph glands (buboes) in the neck, armpit, or groin area. Can usually see within 2-6 days of infection.
- Pneumonic- severe cough, bloody sputum, chest pains, confusion, cyanosis, shock and eventual death.
- Septicemic- This comes usually after the bubonic, infecting the bloodstream without help of the lymph nodes. This has the same symptoms as the pneumonic.
Who is going to get it
Anyone who comes in contact with the bacteria, will most likely get it.
Treatment
People have made a vaccine, but that is only really used for the laboratory workers and field workers. The death rate with untreated cases is 100% but with antibiotics, it can really effect it and help.
How to Prevent
- Reduce rodent population in or around your home.
- Wear gloves if you are treating an infected rodent or organism.
- Use repellent of you are going camping around fleas.
Other Info
- The Black Death, is one of the worst epidemics in the world. The plague was responsible for killing about 20 million people all over Europe in the 1400s. Back then, people didn't have the medication for treating it so once you had it, you were as good as dead.