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Health, Plague (Yersinia Pestis)

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1. What is the plague?

Plague is an infectious disease of animals and humans caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Yersinia pestis is found in rodents and their fleas in many areas around the world.

2. How do people get plague?

People contract plague by the bite of fleas infected with the plague bacteria.

3. What are the symptoms?

Pneumonic plague occurs when Yersinia pestis infects the lungs. The first signs of illness in pneumonic plague are fever, headache, weakness, and cough productive of bloody or watery sputum. The pneumonia progresses over two to four days and may cause septic shock and, without early treatment, death.

4. How is it transmitted?

Person-to-person transmission of pneumonic plague occurs through respiratory droplets, which can only infect those who have face-to-face contact with the ill patient.

5. Can the plague be treated?

Early treatment of pneumonic plague is essential. Several antibiotics are effective, including streptomycin, tetracycline, and chloramphenicol.

6. Is there vaccine available to prevent the plague?

There is no vaccine against the plague.

7. Is there preventive treatment?

Prophylactic antibiotic treatment for seven days will protect persons who have had face-to-face contact with infected patients.

8. How many cases of plague occur in the United States?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), human plague in the United States has occurred as mostly scattered cases in rural areas (an average of 10 to 20 persons each year). Globally, the World Health Organization reports 1,000 to 3,000 cases of plague every year.

9. What is the mortality rate of the plague?

About 14% (one in seven) of all plague cases in the United States are fatal. For more information regarding the plague, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website.