Bubonic plague is caused by Yersinia pestis and is transmitted through the bite of an infected flea. It causes swollen lymph nodes and can be fatal if left untreated. While historically devastating, it is now easily treatable with antibiotics.
Bubonic plague is a form of plague that manifests itself in the form of swollen lymph nodes, historically known as “buboes.” Many people think of the plague as a historic disease, but there are actually up to 3,000 cases worldwide each year, according to the World Health Organization. Fortunately, this form of plague is very easy to treat, especially if caught early, and in areas where the plague is endemic, such as the American Southwest, doctors are usually adept at recognizing the early signs.
Like other forms of plague, bubonic plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. In the bubonic form of plague, bacteria are introduced into the body through the skin, through the bite of a flea that carries the disease from an infected rodent. Once the patient has been exposed, the bacteria begins to spread through the body, causing lymph nodes to swell and blood vessels to rupture, causing large bruises and black spots to appear under the skin.
Bubonic plague has played an important role in human history, ever since the first cases were recorded around the 6th century. Before the advent of antibiotics, plague was devastating and could halt armies, empty cities, and decimate communities. During the medieval era in particular, the bubonic plague was a major public health problem, and the “Black Death” spread across Europe in multiple waves that, according to some historians, may have wiped out as much as half of the population.
Most cases of this contagious disease are the result of exposure to infected rodents such as rats and prairie dogs. In medieval times, the plague was also transmitted from person to person, because many houses were infested with fleas that could pass from sick people to healthy people. Today, person-to-person transmission is much less common, thanks to improved hygiene.
In addition to developing the characteristic boils, patients also experience fever, chills, nausea, headache and vomiting. Classically, the tongue also turns white and thickened with advanced plague infection. The bacteria responsible for the disease are very sensitive to antibiotics, and most people infected nowadays experience no long-term ill effects from their plague infections. When cases of bubonic plague are documented, public health officials usually trace the source of the exposure, and steps can be taken to protect the community, such as eradicating an infected rodent population.
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