Is Bubonic Plague another pandemic? Check this out.

‘Black Death’ is suspected to come over Corona Virus in China

•         According to WHO, bubonic plague is the most common form of plague which is spread via marmots and similar rodents.
•         It was known as the black death in the 14^th century, which took millions of lives.

 

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As China is trying to eradicate Covid-19 by lowering the cases to almost zero, a new pandemic is expected to come over with a warning. On July 1, the Chinese news agency ‘Xinhua’ reported two suspected cases of bubonic plague after consumption of marmot meat in western Mongolia.

 

BUBONIC PLAGUE

According to WHO, the bubonic plague is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, which is a rare but serious bacterial infection, spread by fleas from rodents and can kill an adult in less than 24 hours if not treated in time.

 

SYMPTOMS

An infected person with this disease will experience – swollen lymph nodes, which can be as large as chicken eggs, in the groin, armpit or neck.

Other symptoms include fever, chills, headache, fatigue and muscle aches.

Some people may experience pain in the abdomen or muscles, cough with blood, vomiting, nausea and shortness of breath.

 

TREATMENT

Experts say the disease can be treated with antibiotics if treated in time. But if the infection is not treated immediately, the bacteria can spread in the bloodstream. There is also a chance of lungs infection causing pneumonic plague. Hence urgent medical treatment with strong antibiotics may successfully cure the disease.

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 Some common antibiotics used-

Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, Doxycycline, Gentamicine

However, it is highly recommended to use these medicines under doctor’s supervision.

 

HISTORY

Black Death was amongst the worst global epidemic, resulting in the death of around 200 million people in Eurasia and North America. It was predicted that the plague have originated in Asia over 2000 years ago by trading ships. The plague never really ended, it reappeared every few generations for centuries.

 

TRANSMISSION

Mainly spread by infected fleas from rodents, the bubonic plague can be transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets.

 According to CDC, the bacteria are mostly transmitted by the bite of an infected flea. Rodents, cats, dogs are the mostly the carrier of such fleas. Moreover, they said that contact with contaminated body fluids or tissue of a plague-infected animal is the most common cause in this plague. Infectious droplets through cough can spread this infection more easily.

 

PREVENTION

 As it has no vaccine till now, it is better to stay protected.

 

Before travelling to Africa, Asia, or South America, check the CDC website for any kinds of traveler notices about such outbreaks.

 

If there is any case if this infection, use flea control sprays on your pets and try to keep them indoor. Use hand gloves before touching wild or outdoor animals. Stop any kinds of rodents, entering home.