Answer:The plague is a serious bacterial infection that can be deadly. Sometimes referred to as the “black plague,” the disease is caused by a bacterial strain called Yersinia pestis. This bacterium is found in animals throughout the world and is usually transmitted to humans through fleas.
The risk of plague is highest in areas that have poor sanitation, overcrowding, and a large population of rodents.
In medieval times, the plague was responsible for the deaths of millions of people in Europe.
Today, there are only 1,000 to 2,000 casesTrusted Source reported worldwide each year, with the highest incidence in Africa.
Plague is a rapidly progressing disease that can lead to death if untreated. If you suspect you have it, call a doctor right away or go to an emergency room for immediate medical attention.
Types of plague
There are three basic forms of plague:
Bubonic plague
The most common form of plague is bubonic plague. It’s usually contracted when an infected rodent or flea bites you. In very rare cases, you can get the bacteria from material that has come into contact with an infected person.
Bubonic plague infects your lymphatic system (a part of the immune system), causing inflammation in your lymph nodes. Untreated, it can move into the blood (causing septicemic plague) or to the lungs (causing pneumonic plague).
Septicemic plague
When the bacteria enter the bloodstream directly and multiply there, it’s known as septicemic plague. When they’re left untreated, both bubonic and pneumonic plague can lead to septicemic plague.
Pneumonic plague
When the bacteria spread to or first infect the lungs, it’s known as pneumonic plague — the most lethal form of the disease. When someone with pneumonic plague coughs, the bacteria from their lungs are expelled into the air. Other people who breathe that air can also develop this highly contagious form of plague, which can lead to an epidemic.
Pneumonic plague is the only form of the plague that can be transmitted from person to person.
How plague spreads
People usually get plague through the bite of fleas that have previously fed on infected animals like mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, and prairie dogs. It can also be spread through direct contact with an infected person or animal or by eating an infected animal.
Plague can also spread through scratches or bites of infected domestic catsTrusted Source.
It’s rare for bubonic plague or septicemic plague to spread from one human to another.
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