Though a rare disease, plague is a very serious illness that can, if not treated in time, be deadly. Plague occurs in just a few countries around the world and typically in rural or semirural areas. It is caused by the germ “Yersinia pestis,” which typically lives on small rodents and the fleas that make them home. The most common way that plague is transmitted to humans is through flea bites.
In most cases, plague can be treated with antibiotics. However, if left untreated, it is usually fatal. Because of how deadly the disease can be without treatment, some more developed countries have strains of plague for use as bioweapons. Those same countries have treatment plans in place in the event that another country uses bioweapons against them.
The symptoms of plague depend on the type of plague one contracts. There are three types of plague that continue to threaten certain parts of the world: Bubonic plague, pneumonic plague and septicaemic plague. These plagues are caused by the same bacteria but differ in what parts of the body they affect.
Bubonic plague affects the lymph nodes, causing them to swell until they become what the medical field calls “buboes.” Lymph nodes are small, bean-shaped components that serve as filters for the body’s immune system.
When a person has bubonic plague, he or she may develop buboes in the groin, armpits or neck. These buboes vary in size, from as small as one-half inch (or 1 centimetre) to about four inches (or 10 centimetres) in diameter. Regardless of size, buboes are usually tender to the touch and painful.
In addition to developing buboes, persons with bubonic plague may experience other symptoms. Some symptoms one might develop are as follows:
Afflicted persons will also experience general feelings of being unwell.
Pneumonic plague affects the lungs. Though this disease can originate in the lungs, it does not always. Sometimes, the plague begins as bubonic plague and then spreads into the lungs. Symptoms often begin within a few hours of exposure and grow increasingly worse quickly. Symptoms of pneumonic plague may include the following:
If persons who develop pneumonic plague do not begin treatment on the first day of symptoms, the disease can and will rapidly progress to include lung failure, shock and eventual death.
Pneumonic plague is the only type of plague that can transfer from person to person. It is also the most serious form of plague and the most deadly.
Septicaemic plague affects the bloodstream. When a person has this type of plague, the plague bacteria multiply in the bloodstream, causing illness throughout the entire body. Buboes may be present, but they are not always.
In the early days of septicaemic plague, a person may experience a sudden and high fever and chills. He or she may also feel extremely weak and have stomach pain, vomiting and/or diarrhoea.
As the disease advances, organ failure is inevitable. Symptoms of organ failure include the following:
Septicaemic plague can either develop on its own or as a result of untreated bubonic plague.
Plague is a very serious illness that, if left untreated, is often fatal. Moreover, the disease moves quickly, meaning effective treatment is necessary immediately following the initial onset of symptoms. With all types of plague, but especially pneumonic plague, there is little time to wait and see if symptoms will subside. If you experience a sudden high fever along with other plague symptoms — such as extreme weakness, fatigue, headache and/or stomach pain — seek emergency medical attention immediately. This is especially important in regions that have had cases of the plague, such as the Western United States, Latin America, Asia and Africa.