Occurs
after earthquakes, and natural disasters where there is increased
contact with wild rodents.
Often
a plague is heralded by large amounts of dead rats.
A flea transmits the bacteria from rats
to people.
Symptoms
start between hours to as long as 17 days after the initial
flea bite, and include headache, high fever, muscle aches,
and nausea. Lymph nodes become inflamed and become buboes,
which may enlarge and develop abscesses.
The
infection may spread to blood (causing septicemia) or lungs
(pneumonic plague), which is then contagious by coughing.
The
patient may also have increased bleeding.
Diagnosis
is with a blood test and treatment includes tetracycline or
similar antibiotics.
The plague vaccine is not given for travelers (more so for
lab personnel).
Plague (Black Death) links
insecta-inspecta.com/ http://www.insectainspecta.com/fleas/
bdeath/Black.html
CDC http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/plague/
WHO http://www.who.int/csr/disease/plague/en/
|
