What is the plague? This is a very serious infectious disease, leading to fairly large-scale epidemics, in most cases ending in death. Let's talk about that.
History of the plague epidemic
The very first epidemic described in the sources occurred in the 6th century and killed about 100 million people.
After 8 years there was a relapse in Western Europe and the Mediterranean. Then the disease claimed more than 60 million lives.
The third major outbreak of plague occurred in Hong Kong in the late 19th century. It quickly spread to more than 100 port cities. For example, in India alone, the plague epidemic claimed the lives of 12 million people.
It is worth noting that this disease has several forms:
- bubonic plague;
- pulmonary;
- septic.
What causes the plague?
It is caused by a certain bacterium that was discovered in the late 19th century. The French scientist A. Yersin and the Japanese researcher S. Kitazato turned their attention to it. It is worth noting that today it is already quite well known what the plague is. Microorganisms that cause this disease are also known. Let's talk aboutepidemic in more detail.
What is the plague in essence?
In fact, this is the "black death". That is how she was nicknamed for the most severe consequences and peculiar symptoms. Indeed, this disease spares neither children nor adults. If timely treatment is not started, then the plague kills more than 70% of people infected with it.
What causes an epidemic?
It is worth noting that today this disease is very rare, but on our planet there are still natural foci that cause this infection. These are rodents in which pathogens appear. They are in most cases the main carriers of the disease.
How does a person get plague?
It is not enough to know what the plague is and who causes it. We need to be aware of how its deadly bacteria can enter our body. The fact is that the deadly plague virus enters it through fleas! These little parasites are looking for a new host after infected mice and rats begin to die en masse.
Moreover, modern medicine also describes the airborne route through which the infection is transmitted. It determines the rapid spread and development of the plague epidemic.
Symptoms of disease
They appear 2-5 days after infection. Here is their list:
- chill;
- a sharp increase in body temperature;
- drop in blood pressure;
- a little later confusion appears, delusion althoughts, movement coordination is disturbed.
How is plague treated?
You see photos of sick people infected with this epidemic on your screens. Terrible, isn't it? To prevent this from happening, the diagnosis of the disease should be made on the basis of immunological methods, laboratory culture and polymerase chain reaction.
When any form of plague is detected, the patient is immediately hospitalized. Unprecedented precautionary measures are being taken by hospital staff and treatment of the infected person has begun.
Today, thanks to modern medicine, large-scale outbreaks of plague have become a huge rarity in the world. Currently, mortality from this disease does not exceed 5-10% of the world's population.
Risk areas
In Russia there is a list of regions that are endemic for plague. These are Altai, Stavropol, the Caspian lowland, Transbaikalia, the East Ural region.
