Plague

What is plague and why it is called black death?

Plague is a serious infectious disease which leads to large-scale epidemics and quite often comes to an end with the death of the sick person. Iersinia pestis – a bacterium which was found at the end of the 19th century by the French scientist A. Yersen and the Japanese researcher S. Kitazato is caused. At the moment causative agents of plague are studied rather well. In the developed countries of a disease outbreak of plague happen extremely seldom, but so was not always. Described the first in sources epidemic of plague happened in the 6th century in the territory of the Roman Empire. Then the disease claimed the lives about 100 million people. 8 centuries later history of plague repeated in Western Europe and the Mediterranean where more than 60 million people died. The third large-scale epidemic began in Hong Kong at the end of the 19th century and quickly extended more than in 100 seaports of the Asian region. In only one India plague led 12 million people to death. For the hardest effects and characteristic symptoms plague is often called "black death". It really does not spare either adults, or children and in the absence of treatment "kills" more than 70% of the infected people.

Now plague meets seldom. Nevertheless, on the globe the natural centers where contagiums regularly come to light at the rodents living there still remain. The last, by the way, are the main carriers of a disease. Deadly bacteria of plague get into a human body through fleas who look for new owners after mass death of the infected rats and mice. Besides, the airborne way of transmission of infection which, actually, and defines bystry spread of plague and development of epidemics is known.

In our country Stavropol Territory, Transbaikalia, Altai, Caspian Depression and the East Ural region are among regions, endemic on plague.

Etiology and pathogeny

Causative agents of plague are steady against low temperatures. They well remain in a phlegm and are easily transferred from the person to the person in the airborne way. At a sting of a flea on an affected area of skin at first there is a small papule filled with hemorrhagic contents (skin plague). After that process quickly extends on absorbent vessels. In them ideal conditions for reproduction of bacteria are created that leads to the explosive growth of causative agents of plague, their merge and formation of conglomerates (bubonic plague). Penetration of bacteria into respiratory system with further development of a pulmonary form is possible. The last is extremely dangerous as it is characterized very much by a rapid current and covers huge territories due to intensive distribution between members of population. If treatment of plague begins too late, the disease passes into a septic form which strikes all bodies and systems of an organism, and in most cases comes to an end with the death of the person.

Plague – disease symptoms

Symptoms of a disease of plague appear in 2 - 5 days. The disease begins sharply with a fever, sharp fervescence to critical marks, falling of arterial pressure. Further neurologic symptoms join these signs: nonsense, lack of coordination, confusion of consciousness. Other characteristic manifestations of "black death" depend on a specific form of an infection.

• bubonic plague – lymph nodes, a liver, a spleen increase. Lymph nodes become firm and extremely painful, are filled with pus which breaks outside over time. The wrong diagnosis or inadequate treatment of plague lead to the death of the patient for 3-5 day after infection;
• pulmonary plague – affects lungs, patients complain of cough, a plentiful otkhozhdeniye of a phlegm in which there are clots. If not to begin treatment during the first hours after infection, then all further actions will be inefficient and the patient will die within 48 hours;
• septic plague – symptoms demonstrate distribution of activators literally on all bodies and systems. The person perishes at most within a day.

Also the so-called small form of a disease is known to doctors. It is shown by insignificant rise in body temperature, a hyperadenosis and a headache, but usually these signs disappear in itself in several days.

Treatment of plague

Diagnosis of plague is carried out on the basis of laboratory crops, immunological methods and polymerase chain reaction. If bubonic plague or any other form of this infection is found in the patient, then he is immediately hospitalized. At treatment of plague at such patients the personnel of medical institution are obliged to observe strict measures of precaution. Doctors have to put on 3-layer gauze bandages, goggles for the prevention of hit of a phlegm on the person, boot covers and the hat which is completely closing hair. If there is an opportunity, then special antiplague suits are used. The compartment in which there is a patient is isolated from other premises of institution.

If bubonic plague is found in the person, to him enter streptomycin intramusculary 3-4 times a day and tetracycline antibiotics intravenously. At intoxication saline solutions and Haemodesum are shown to patients. The lowering of arterial pressure is considered as a reason for emergency treatment and resuscitation actions in case of increase of intensity of process. Pulmonary and septic forms of plague demand increase in doses of antibiotics, immediately stoppings of a syndrome of intravascular coagulation, introduction of a fresh blood plasma.

Thanks to development of modern medicine, large-scale epidemics of plague became a big rarity, and now mortality of patients does not exceed 5-10%. Fairly it for those cases when treatment of plague begins in time and meets the established rules and standards. For this reason at any suspicions on existence in an organism of causative agents of plague doctors are obliged to carry out urgent hospitalization of the patient and to warn the bodies which are engaged in control over spread of infectious diseases.