Skip navigation | ||
|
||
Medical Encyclopedia |
|
Other encyclopedia topics: | A-Ag Ah-Ap Aq-Az B-Bk Bl-Bz C-Cg Ch-Co Cp-Cz D-Di Dj-Dz E-Ep Eq-Ez F G H-Hf Hg-Hz I-In Io-Iz J K L-Ln Lo-Lz M-Mf Mg-Mz N O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q R S-Sh Si-Sp Sq-Sz T-Tn To-Tz U V W X Y Z 0-9 |
Contents of this page: | |
|
|
|
Alternative names Return to top
Bubonic plague; Pneumonic plague; Septicemic plagueDefinition Return to top
Plague is an infection caused by the organism Yersinia pestis. It is carried by wild rodents and transmitted to humans.Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Plague is transmitted among rodents and to humans by flea bite or ingestion of the feces of fleas. It can also be transmitted from human to human when a plague victim develops pneumonia and spreads infected droplets by coughing. An epidemic may be started this way.
Plague is rare in the United States, but areas where the disease is known to occur include parts of California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and New Mexico.
There are two types of plague, bubonic and pneumonic. The incubation period is 2 to 10 days but may be as short as a few hours for pneumonic plague.
Risk factors for plague include a recent flea bite; and occupational or environmental exposure to rodents (especially rabbits, squirrels, or prairie dogs; or scratches or bites from infected domestic cats).
Symptoms Return to top
BUBONIC PLAGUESEPTICEMIC PLAGUE
Signs and tests Return to top
These tests may indicate a plague infection:Treatment Return to top
Immediate treatment with antibiotics such as streptomycin, chloramphenicol, or tetracycline is indicated. Oxygen, intravenous fluids, and respiratory support are additional treatments.
Patients with pneumonic plague are strictly isolated from other patients. People who have had contact with anyone infected by pneumonic plague are observed closely and are given antibiotics as a preventive measure.
Note: Oral tetracycline is usually not prescribed for children until after all the permanent teeth have erupted. It can permanently discolor teeth that are still forming.
Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
Half of bubonic plague victims die if not treated, and almost all victims of pneumonic plague die if not treated. Treatment reduces the death rate to 5%.Complications Return to top
Some complications include septicemia (blood poisoning).
Calling your health care provider Return to top
Call your health care provider if symptoms develop after exposure to fleas or rodents, especially if you live in or have visited in an area where plague occurs.Prevention Return to top
Rat control and surveillance of the disease in the wild rodent population are the main measures used to control the risk of epidemics. A vaccination is available for high-risk workers, but its effectiveness is not clearly established. Update Date: 8/11/2003 Updated by: Daniel Levy, M.D., Ph.D., Infectious Diseases, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
Home | Health Topics | Drug Information | Encyclopedia | Dictionary | News | Directories | Other Resources | |
Copyright | Privacy | Accessibility | Selection Guidelines U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 National Institutes of Health | Department of Health & Human Services |
Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |