Plague
Definition:
Plague was known as the Black Death during medieval times, when it killed up to a third of the population of Europe. Currently, plague occurs in fewer than 3,000 people per year worldwide. It can be deadly if not treated promptly with antibiotics.
The organism that causes plague, Yersinia pestis, lives in a variety of small rodents on every continent except Australia. The organism is transmitted to humans when they are bitten by fleas that have previously fed on infected rodents.
The most common form of plague results in swollen and tender lymph nodes — called buboes — in the groin, armpits or neck. The rarest and deadliest form of plague affects the lungs, and it can be spread from person to person.
Symptoms:
Plague is divided into three main types — bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic — depending on which part of your body is involved. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the type of plague.
Bubonic plague
Bubonic plague is the most common variety of the disease. It's named after the buboes — swollen lymph nodes — which typically develop within a week after an infected flea bites you. Buboes may be:
Septicemic plague occurs when plague bacteria multiply in your bloodstream. Signs and symptoms include:
Pneumonic plague affects the lungs. It's the least common variety of plague but the most dangerous, because it can be spread from person to person via cough droplets. Signs and symptoms can begin within a few hours after infection, and may include:
When to see a doctor
Seek immediate medical attention if you begin to feel ill and have been in an area where plague has been known to occur. This includes parts of several states in the western portion of the United States — primarily New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.
Causes:
The plague bacteria, Yersinia pestis, is transmitted to humans when they are bitten by fleas that have previously fed on infected animals, such as:
Pneumonic plague, which affects the lungs, is spread by inhaling infectious droplets coughed into the air by a sick animal or person.
Complications:
Complications of plague may include:
Medications
As soon as your doctor suspects that you have plague, you'll need to be admitted to an isolation room in a hospital. There, you'll receive powerful antibiotics, such as:
Definition:
Plague was known as the Black Death during medieval times, when it killed up to a third of the population of Europe. Currently, plague occurs in fewer than 3,000 people per year worldwide. It can be deadly if not treated promptly with antibiotics.
The organism that causes plague, Yersinia pestis, lives in a variety of small rodents on every continent except Australia. The organism is transmitted to humans when they are bitten by fleas that have previously fed on infected rodents.
The most common form of plague results in swollen and tender lymph nodes — called buboes — in the groin, armpits or neck. The rarest and deadliest form of plague affects the lungs, and it can be spread from person to person.
Symptoms:
Plague is divided into three main types — bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic — depending on which part of your body is involved. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the type of plague.
Bubonic plague
Bubonic plague is the most common variety of the disease. It's named after the buboes — swollen lymph nodes — which typically develop within a week after an infected flea bites you. Buboes may be:
- Located in the groin, armpit or neck
- About the size of a chicken egg
- Tender and warm to the touch
- Sudden onset of fever and chills
- Headache
- Fatigue or malaise
- Muscle aches
Septicemic plague occurs when plague bacteria multiply in your bloodstream. Signs and symptoms include:
- Fever and chills
- Abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting
- Bleeding from your mouth, nose or rectum, or under your skin
- Shock
- Blackening and death of tissue (gangrene) in your extremities, most commonly your fingers, toes and nose
Pneumonic plague affects the lungs. It's the least common variety of plague but the most dangerous, because it can be spread from person to person via cough droplets. Signs and symptoms can begin within a few hours after infection, and may include:
- Cough, with bloody sputum
- Difficulty breathing
- High fever
- Nausea and vomiting
- Weakness
When to see a doctor
Seek immediate medical attention if you begin to feel ill and have been in an area where plague has been known to occur. This includes parts of several states in the western portion of the United States — primarily New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado.
Causes:
The plague bacteria, Yersinia pestis, is transmitted to humans when they are bitten by fleas that have previously fed on infected animals, such as:
- Rats
- Squirrels
- Rabbits
- Prairie dogs
- Chipmunks
Pneumonic plague, which affects the lungs, is spread by inhaling infectious droplets coughed into the air by a sick animal or person.
Complications:
Complications of plague may include:
- Death. Most people who receive prompt antibiotic treatment survive plague. Untreated plague has a fatality rate over 50 percent.
- Gangrene. Blood clots in the tiny blood vessels of your fingers and toes can disrupt the flow of blood and cause that tissue to die. The portions of your fingers and toes that have died may need to be amputated.
- Meningitis. Rarely, plague may cause meningitis, an inflammation of the membranes surrounding your brain and spinal cord.
Medications
As soon as your doctor suspects that you have plague, you'll need to be admitted to an isolation room in a hospital. There, you'll receive powerful antibiotics, such as:
- Streptomycin
- Gentamicin
- Doxycycline (Vibramycin)
- Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
- Chloramphenicol
Facebook
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar