Overview Of Bubonic Plague Disease: Transmission, Symptoms, Treatment

Agent: Y. pestis is from the family Enterobacteriaceae. It has been said to evolved from Y. pseudotuberculosis and can be found in the soil and in the water supply. Transmission: When a flea bites an animal that is infected the bacteria start to grow inside the flea and can cause coagulation in the esophagus. As the flea travels from host to host it spreads the bacteria the is transmitted through each bite. Once it enters the body through the bite from the infected fleas and flows through the lymphatic fluid and gets filtered in the lymph node and forms a bubo. A bubo is a swollen lesion that is usually found in the auxiliary or groin region.

Diagnosis: A person most likely will not know they have contracted the sickness until a bubo has formed. This bubo is one of the first and clearest signs that occur in plague diseases. Health care professionals can perform a cold stool culture to specify which type of bacteria is causing the illness and how to treat the patient. Incubation: Y. pestis has an incubation period of about 2-8 days. Symptoms that may occur more severely toward the end of the incubation are, but not limited to, chills, fever, weakness, and headaches.

Symptoms: Symptoms can include fever, headache, chills, and abdominal pain the is caused by the bubo. Life expectancy is less than 80% even with adequate medical care.

Recovery: Without medication or medical supervision, the likelihood of recovery from this disease is heightened to over 50%. During the recovery process the patient must stay a in a quarantined area until fully well, due to the highly contagious natural of the disease.

Immunity: The Chinese use an inactivated form of the bacteria, called EV76. But this type of immunity only lasts up to 12 months. There is currently immunization to prevent this disease. This disease attacks the neutrophils causing a compromised immune system. But it has been shown that if you survive the plague that you have stronger immune defense to the bacteria.

Vaccine: Inactivated bacteria were used to treat and fight against the bubonic plague but are not allowed in the U. S. any longer. Streptomycin and gentamicin can be used for high-risk cases. Treatment: Antibiotics are given to patients who have this disease, but in severe events there are procedures that can be used to prevent further spread.

Prevention: This disease can be prevented by rodent control in congested areas, wearing gloves and protective wear when around infected patients, as well as using flea treatment on animals who are affected. Interesting: ReferencesCDC. (2018, September 18).