Avoid it like the plague: This historic disease is responsible for a recent death in Arizona | Causes and symptoms

It may come as a surprise to some, but plague - a disease that claimed the lives of up to 50 million people across Africa, Asia and Europe in the Middle Ages, still exists.

It is believed that rat-infested steamships introduced the disease into the United States in the late 19th Century.

First reported plague death in 18 years

The airborne disease, which is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, has never been completely eradicated although deaths are rare in humans. In fact, if infection is caught quickly, it can be successfully treated with antibiotics - 95% of such cases survive the disease.

One resident in north Arizona wasn’t so lucky. Earlier this month, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment confirmed a human case of plague in a Pueblo County resident.

It is the first recorded death from pneumonic plague in the county since 2007, and the 54th since antibiotics were first introduced in 1941.

What is the plague?

There are three different types of plague: bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic. Let’s take a closer look at them.

The bubonic plague is the most common form of the bacterial infection, which spreads naturally among fleas, rodents - particularly rats, but also prairie dogs and domestic dogs and cats. Once infected, plague can also be transmitted person to person.

Also known as the“Black Death,” bubonic plague a notorious infectious disease that has left an indelible mark on human history.Throughout the Middle Ages, bubonic plague swept through Europe, Asia, and Africa, causing devastating pandemics that decimated populations and altered the course of history.

Today, while no longer as widespread or as lethal as in the past, bubonic plague still poses a threat in certain regions of the world, including the United States, with 462 reported cases between 1965 and 2012.

Plague symptoms

Symptoms begin two to eight days after infection. Bubonic plague typically manifests with sudden onset symptoms, including fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, weakness, and fatigue.

However, its most distinctive feature is the development of painful, swollen lymph nodes, known as buboes, in the groin, armpit, or neck. These buboes can become tender and may eventually rupture, leading to pus drainage. Additional symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

Causes of infection

The bacterium Yersinia pestis is behind the plague. It is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of infected fleas.

Historically, bubonic plague thrived in rodent populations, particularly rats. Humans would become infected when bitten by fleas that had fed on infected animals. Contact with tissues or fluids from infected animals, or inhalation of respiratory droplets from individuals with pneumonic plague, also lead to transmission.

How is plague treated?

Prompt treatment with antibiotics is vital for managing bubonic plague and preventing severe complications. Antibiotics such as streptomycin, gentamicin, doxycycline, and ciprofloxacin are commonly prescribed. Bubonic plague can progress to more severe forms, such as septicemic or pneumonic plague, which are associated with higher mortality rates.

Prevention

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is still investigated the source of the plague death in Arizona but warned the public to take extra precautions, including:

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