Facts about pneumonic plague

Plague is a disease, the effects on animals and humans. And 'the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This bacterium is in rodents and fleas, which occurs in many areas of the world, including the United States.

Y. pestis is easily destroyed by sunlight and drying. Similarly, if the air, the bacteria to survive up to one hour, although depending on conditions.

Pneumonic plague is one of several forms of plague. Depending on the circumstances, these forms may occur singly or in combination:


Pneumonic plague occurs when Y. pestis infects the lungs. This type of disease can be from person to person through the air. The transmission can occur if someone breathes in aerosol bacteria, which could happen in a bioterrorist attack. Pneumonic plague is spread by inhalation of Y. pestis exposed respiratory droplets from a person (or animal) with pneumonic plague. To become infected in this way, usually a close and direct contact with the sick person or animal. Pneumonic disease can also occur when a person with bubonic or septicemic plague is not, and bacteria in the lungs.


Bubonic plague is the most common form of plague. This error occurs if a chip bites an infected person, or on materials, Y. pestis make a pause of a person's skin. Patients develop swollen, tender lymph nodes (called bubo) and fever, headache, chills and weakness. Spread of bubonic plague is not a man to man.


Plague septicemic plague occurs when bacteria proliferate in the blood. This can be a complication of pneumonic or bubonic plague or it may be, of himself. Occurs only if, it's the same way as bubonic plague, but do not develop bubo. Patients have fever, chills, fatigue, pain, shock and bleeding into skin and other organs. Septicemic disease is not yet man.

Symptoms and treatment
With pneumonic plague, the first signs of the disease are fever, headache, weakness, and the rapid development of pneumonia, shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, and sometimes bloody or watery sputum. The pneumonia progresses for 2 to 4 days and, with breathing and shock. Without early treatment, the patient may die.

7 days of treatment with antibiotics to protect people, the direct, close contact with infected patients. Wearing a tight fitting mask operational protects against infection.

A vaccine against plague is not currently available for use in the United States.