Plague is an infectious disease that affects animals and humans. It is caused
by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This bacterium is found in rodents and their
fleas and occurs in many areas of the world, including the United States.
Y. pestis is easily destroyed by sunlight and drying. Even so, when released
into air, the bacterium will survive for up to one hour, although this could
vary depending on conditions. Pneumonic plague is one of several forms of plague.
Depending on circumstances, these forms may occur separately or in combination:
Pneumonic plague occurs when Y. pestis infects the lungs. This type of plague
can spread from person to person through the air. Transmission can take place
if someone breathes in aerosolized bacteria, which could happen in a bioterrorist
attack.
Pneumonic plague is also spread by breathing in Y. pestis suspended in respiratory
droplets from a person (or animal) with pneumonic plague. Becoming infected
in this way usually requires direct and close contact with the ill person or
animal.
Pneumonic plague may also occur if a person with bubonic or septicemic plague
is untreated and the bacteria spread to the lungs. Bubonic plague is the most
common form of plague. This occurs when an infected flea bites a person or when
materials contaminated with Y. pestis enter through a break in a person’s skin.
Patients develop swollen, tender lymph glands (called buboes) and fever, headache,
chills, and weakness. Bubonic plague does not spread from person to person.
Septicemic plague occurs when plague bacteria multiply in the blood. It can
be a complication of pneumonic or bubonic plague or it can occur by itself.
When it occurs alone, it is caused in the same ways as bubonic plague; however,
buboes do not develop. Patients have fever, chills, prostration, abdominal pain,
shock, and bleeding into skin and other organs.
Septicemic plague does not spread from person to person. Symptoms and Treatment
With pneumonic plague, the first signs of illness are fever, headache, weakness,
and rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, cough,
and sometimes bloody or watery sputum. The pneumonia progresses for 2 to 4 days
and may cause respiratory failure and shock.
Without early treatment, patients may die. Early treatment of pneumonic plague
is essential. To reduce the chance of death, antibiotics must be given within
24 hours of first symptoms. Streptomycin, gentamicin, the tetracyclines, and
chloramphenicol are all effective against pneumonic plague. Antibiotic treatment
for 7 days will protect people who have had direct, close contact with infected
patients.
Wearing a close-fitting surgical mask also protects against infection.Plague
is an infectious disease that affects animals and humans. It is caused by the
bacterium Yersinia pestis. This bacterium is found in rodents and their fleas
and occurs in many areas of the world, including the United States. Y. pestis
is easily destroyed by sunlight and drying.
Even so, when released into air, the bacterium will survive for up to one hour,
although this could vary depending on conditions. Pneumonic plague is one of
several forms of plague. Depending on circumstances, these forms may occur separately
or in combination:
Pneumonic plague occurs when Y. pestis infects the lungs. This type of plague
can spread from person to person through the air. Transmission can take place
if someone breathes in aerosolized bacteria, which could happen in a bioterrorist
attack.
Pneumonic plague is also spread by breathing in Y. pestis suspended in respiratory
droplets from a person (or animal) with pneumonic plague. Becoming infected
in this way usually requires direct and close contact with the ill person or
animal. Pneumonic plague may also occur if a person with bubonic or septicemic
plague is untreated and the bacteria spread to the lungs.
Bubonic plague is the most common form of plague. This occurs when an infected
flea bites a person or when materials contaminated with Y. pestis enter through
a break in a person’s skin. Patients develop swollen, tender lymph glands (called
buboes) and fever, headache, chills, and weakness. Bubonic plague does not spread
from person to person. Septicemic plague occurs when plague bacteria multiply
in the blood. It can be a complication of pneumonic or bubonic plague or it
can occur by itself. When it occurs alone, it is caused in the same ways as
bubonic plague; however, buboes do not develop. Patients have fever, chills,
prostration, abdominal pain, shock, and bleeding into skin and other organs.
Septicemic plague does not spread from person to person. Symptoms and Treatment
With pneumonic plague, the first signs of illness are fever, headache, weakness,
and rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, cough,
and sometimes bloody or watery sputum. The pneumonia progresses for 2 to 4 days
and may cause respiratory failure and shock. Without early treatment, patients
may die.
Early treatment of pneumonic plague is essential. To reduce the chance of death,
antibiotics must be given within 24 hours of first symptoms. Streptomycin, gentamicin,
the tetracyclines, and chloramphenicol are all effective against pneumonic plague.
Antibiotic treatment for 7 days will protect people who have had direct, close
contact with infected patients. Wearing a close-fitting surgical mask also protects
against infection.
A plague vaccine is not currently available for use in the United States.
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