People infected with the plague often have flu-like symptoms two to six days after infection. Other symptoms can help differentiate the three types of the plague.
Symptoms of the Bubonic Plague
Symptoms of bubonic plague usually present two to eight days after infection. They are as follows:
Additionally, you can develop buboes, which are painful, enlarged lymph nodes. These are most commonly found in the groin, armpits, neck, or at the site of an insect bite or scratch. The bubonic plague is named for the buboes.
Symptoms of the Septicemic Plague
Septicemic plague symptoms normally occur a few days after exposure, however septicemic plague can kill before symptoms appear. Among the symptoms are:
- Bleeding (blood may not be able to clot)
- Blackening of the skin (gangrene)
Symptoms of pneumonic plague
Pneumonic plague symptoms might begin as soon as one day following bacterium exposure. Among these signs are:
- Sputum with blood (saliva and mucus or pus from the lungs)
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF PLAGUE?
People are frequently infected by fleas that have previously dined on infected animals such as mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and prairie dogs. It can also be transferred by direct contact with an infected person or animal, or by eating an infected animal.
The plague can also be transmitted by scratches or bites from infected household pets or cats.
Pneumonic plague is transmitted from person to person by cough droplets containing plague bacterium. It is uncommon for bubonic or septicemic plague to transfer from person to person.
WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR PLAGUE?
In most circumstances, being at risk of getting the plague is uncommon. However, there are a few variables that might put you at danger. These are some examples:
- Direct touch with someone infected with the plague
- Dwellings with a high exposure to plague-infected rats or fleas
- Living in a heavily agricultural rural or semi-rural area
HOW IS THE PLAGUE DIAGNOSED?
If your doctor believes you have the plague, they will test your body for the presence of the bacteria:
- A blood test can tell you if you have septicemic plague.
- To test for bubonic plague, your doctor will take a sample of the fluid in your enlarged lymph nodes using a needle.
- To test for pneumonic plague, doctors will either a blood sample or a sample from a swollen lymph node and send it to a laboratory.
The samples will be analyzed at a laboratory. Although preliminary findings can be obtained in as little as two hours, confirmation testing might take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours.
Even if the plague is suspected, your doctor will begin antibiotic therapy even before the diagnosis is confirmed. This is due to the rapid progression of the plague, and being treated early can make a significant difference in your recovery.
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR THE PLAGUE?
The plague is a potentially fatal disease that needs immediate medical attention. If detected and treated early, it is a curable condition with widely available antibiotics.
Bubonic plague can proliferate in the circulation (producing septicemic plague) or in the lungs in the absence of therapy (causing pneumonic plague). Death can occur within 24 hours of the first symptom appearing.
Treatment generally entails:
- Strong antibiotics such gentamicin or ciprofloxacin, intravenous fluids, oxygen, and, in rare cases, breathing assistance
- To avoid transmission, individuals with pneumonic plague must be segregated from other patients.
- Even when your fever has subsided, your treatment will last for several weeks.
- Those who come into touch with someone infected with the plague will be constantly watched and may be given antibiotics as a precautionary measure.
WHAT ARE THE COMPLICATIONS OF THE PLAGUE?
When plague is detected early, therapy with appropriate medicines can be exceedingly effective. The biggest issue that may obstruct successful therapy is the timing of diagnosis and treatment initiation.
Because the plague can be lethal if not treated early, it is critical to see a doctor as soon as symptoms develop.
HOW CAN PLAGUE BE PREVENTED?
There are several strategies to avoid being exposed to plague bacteria:
- Control the rodent population in your home and business.
- Allow dogs to wander freely outside or sleep in your bed if you live in a plague-risk region.
- If your pet becomes ill, take him or her to the veterinarian immediately away.
- Keep mounds of waste like firewood, pebbles, and grass brush away from locations you visit.
- Use flea control solutions to keep any outside dogs flea-free.
- Wear insect repellent (chemical or natural) whenever you go outside.
- If you feel you have been exposed to diseased rodents or fleas, see your doctor very once.
- Recognize the signs of each form of plague in order to receive treatment as soon as feasible.
- Avoid close contact with someone who has been exposed to plague bacterium.
In the United States, there is presently no commercially licensed vaccination against plague. As a result, it’s critical to take precautions to avoid coming into touch with the disease or any creature that carries it.
Where is the plague found?
During the Middle Ages, plague epidemics killed millions of people (about one-quarter of the population) in Europe. The disease became known as the “black death.” That isn’t the case now.
From 2010 to 2015, the risk of contracting plague was relatively low, with just 3,248 cases and 584 fatalities reported to the World Health Organization (WHO).
In most cases, outbreaks are linked to diseased rats and fleas in the home. Overcrowding and inadequate sanitation can raise the risk of plague.
The majority of human instances of the plague now occur in Africa, however they do occur abroad. The most affected nations are Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Peru.
The plague is uncommon in the United States, although it can still be found in the rural Southwest, particularly Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. The last plague pandemic in the United States happened in Los Angeles from 1924 to 1925.
In the United States, there are seven recorded instances each year on average. The majority have taken the form of the bubonic plague. In the United States, there hasn’t been an instance of person-to-person transmission of the plague since 1924.
Only one case of the plague was recorded in the United States in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
CONCLUSION
Plague can cause gangrene if blood vessels in your fingers and toes get clogged and cause tissue death. Meningitis, an infection of the membranes that protect your spinal cord and brain, can be caused by plague in rare situations.
It is critical to get treatment as soon as possible in order to prevent the plague from turning lethal.