Infectious diseases also called as communicable diseases are caused by pathogenic microorganisms (such as bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi), can be spread directly or indirectly from one person to another.
Plague is a deadly infectious disease (ZOONOTIC DISEASE) caused by a gram negative bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague is a disease that affects humans and other mammals. The bacteria are mainly found in rats and in the fleas that feed on them. Plague is transmitted to humans or other animals from rats and fleas bite that is carrying the plague bacterium, scratches from infected animals, inhalation of aerosols or consumption of food contaminated with the plague bacterium i.e. Yersinia pestis. In the past, plague destroyed entire civilization; no disease has impacted civilization as deeply as the plague did in Egypt, Europe, and Asia during Middle Ages. As many as 200 million people have died from this disease.
History of Plague Disease
Outbreaks of the plague are grouped into 3 plague pandemics:-
1. First plague pandemic known as PLAGGUE OF JUSTINIAN, from AD 541 to ~750. It spreads from Egypt to the Mediterranean and northwestern Europe. In Egypt, it destroyed 40% of the CONSTANTINOPLE (a city of Africa) and went on to destroy up to a 1/4th of the human population of the eastern Mediterranean. In Europe, the population drop by around 50% because of plague.
2. Second plague pandemic known as BLACK DEATH, from 1345 to 1840. It spreads from Central Asia to the Mediterranean and Europe and probably also to china. It is originated in or near china and spread along SILK ROAD. It may have reduced the world’s population from 450 million to 350 million. Because of this disease, China lost around ½ of its populati...
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...ath rate if the patient is left untreated within 1st 24 hours of 1st symptoms.
Prevention: - There is no plague vaccine is developed till now, scientists are working to develop the vaccine.
Some key points to prevent plague are: -
• By keeping the rat population under control: - By this, one can reduce the risk of getting the bacterium Yersinia pestis that causes plague.
• Protect your pet from fleas by using insect repellent.
• By avoiding all the risk factors which are mentioned above.
• If exposed to fleas during plague outbreak, go to the doctor immediately.
• Try to avoid visiting plague endemic areas.
• Quick treatment should be taken if there are symptoms of lymph node pain.
• Wear gloves and proper cloths if handling the infected animals to prevent the direct contact.
• Don’t allow the animals like dogs or cats that roam free in endemic area.
Sweeping through Western Europe during the fourteenth century, the Bubonic Plague wiped out nearly one third of the population and did not regard: status, age or even gender. All of this occurred as a result of a single fleabite. Bubonic Plague also known as Black Death started in Asia and traveled to Europe by ships. The Plague was thought to be spread by the dominating empire during this time, the Mongolian Empire, along the Silk Road. The Bubonic Plague was an infectious disease spread by fleas living on rats, which can be easily, be attached to traveler to be later spread to a city or region. Many factors like depopulation, decreasing trade, and huge shifts in migrations occurred during the Bubonic Plague. During Bubonic Plague there were also many different beliefs and concerns, which include fear, exploitation, religious and supernatural superstition, and a change of response from the fifteenth to eighteen century.
The Black Death originated in Asia and spread to Europe, possibly going through Persia to reach Asia Minor, and making its way across the Mediterranean. The Byzantine Empire, the Mongol Empire, and Turkestan were also infected. The Plague swept through parts of Arabia, Armenia, North Africa, Bavaria, England, France, Italy, and Poland. However, the Saharan Desert was spared (Document 1).
In 1300, multiple out breaks of the Black Plague arised. For example, in the thirteenth century an outbreak in China killed one third of the population. Several dates before this time showed the disease was present years ago in Europe. Dying from the Plague was scary to most people and Jordan Mcmullin, an author stresses, “Whenever the Plague appeared the sadness of death was terrifying” (Mcmullin n.pag.). Death has always been frightening, but when a country plagues with disease, death becomes a terrible fear, the Plague scared the people of 541, and 542, when their outbreak of the Plague spread. Therefore, while other outbreaks of the Black Plague took place, the fourteenth century outbreak in Europe was certainly the worst.
"In less than four years the disease carved a path of death through Asia, Italy, France, North Africa, Spain and Normandy, made its way over the Alps into Switzerland, and continued eastward into Hungary" (Microsoft Bookshelf, page 1). After a brief respite, the plague resumed, crossing the channel into England, Scotland, and Ireland, and eventually made its way into the northern countries of Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and even as far north as Greenland. In other words, the plague touched almost the entire known world.
Lapaire, Pierre J. "The Plague: Overview." Reference Guide to World Literature. Ed. Lesley Henderson. 2nd ed. New York: St. James Press, 1995. Literature Resource Center. Web. 24 Mar. 2011.
Pandemics, once started, are expected to spread worldwide. They cannot be stopped from spreading, once they outbreak, they continuously spread. The Black Death was a disease that spread throughout the Mediterranean and Europe. There were approximately 25 million deaths in Europe alone. The Black Death was caused by the bacterium called Yersinia Pestis during the 13th century. The Black Death, also known as the Bubonic Plague was caused by a single contamination of one person. The Black Death was caused by a single bacterium, overcrowding in areas like Europe, which effected a huge part of the population by simply killing it off.
Between 1339 and 1351a.d, a pandemic of plague called the Black Death, traveled from China to Europe affecting the importance of cities, creating economic and demographic crises, as well as political dislocation and realignment, and bringing about powerful new currents in culture and religion.
been previously touched by an infected person, will transmit the disease to the healthy person who
From 166 A.D. to 180 A.D., The Antonine Plague spread around Europe devastating many countries. This epidemic killed thousands per day and is also known as the modern-day name Smallpox. It is known as one of deadliest plagues around the world.
It was a bubonic plague that came from Asia and spread by black rats infested with fleas. The plague spread like a wildfire because people who lived in high populated areas were living very close to each other and had no idea what was the cause of the disease or how to cure it. The signs of the “inevitable death” where blood from the nose, fever, aching and swellings big as an “apple” in the groin or under the armpits. From there the disease spread through the body in different directions and soon after it changed into black spots that appeared on the arms and thighs. Due to the lack of medical knowledge, no doctors manage to find a remedy. Furthermore a large number of people without any kind of medical experience tried to help the sick but most of them failed “...there was now a multitude both of men and of women who practiced without having received the slightest tincture of medical science - and, being in ignorance of its source, failed to apply the proper remedies…” (Boccaccio). The plague was so deadly that it was enough for a person to get infected by only touching the close of the
The Black Death plague had disastrous consequences for Europe in the 14th century. After the initial outbreak in Europe, 1347, it continued for around five years and then mysteriously disappeared. However, it broke out again in the 1360s and every few decades thereafter till around 1700. The European epidemic was an outbreak of the bubonic plague, which began in Asia and spread across trade routes. When it reached Europe, a path of destruction began to emerge.
The plague was spread by fleas, which were not effected by the disease. Fleas first infected the rats, which lived off garbage and sewage. The rats then spread the infection to the humans. Rats were a common sight in the cities, due to the poor sanitary conditions, so no one suspected them (www.tartans.com). In the winter the plague seemed to disappear, but only because fleas were dormant then. Each spring, the plague attacked again, killing new victims (www.byu.edu). The effects of the plague were devastating. After just five years, twenty-five million people were dead - one third of Europe's population. Once people were infected they infected others very rapidly. As a result, in order to avoid the disease, many fled to the countryside where the lower population density helped to decrease the speed at which the disease spread (www.tartans.com). From a person's time of infection to his or her death was less than one week (www.home.nycap.rr.com). The plague became known as "The Black Death" because of the discoloration of the skin and black enlarged lymph nodes that appeared on the second day of contracting the disease. The term "The Black Death" was not invented until after 1800. Contemporaries called it "the pestilence" (Cantor 7).
The most sever epidemic in human history, The Black Death ravaged Europe from 1347-1351. This plague killed entire families at a time and destroyed many villages. The Black Death had many effects beyond its immediate symptoms that contributed to the crisis of the Fourteenth Century. This plague not only took a devastating toll on human life, but it also played a major role in shaping European life in the years to follow. The Black Death divides the central and the late Middle Ages. This horrible catastrophe that occurred in 1348, swept through Europe causing numerous changes.
Have you ever heard of "The Great Mortality," or maybe "The Pestilence?" (Facts) Probably not, but you most likely you heard of the Black Plague or Black Death. This infection terrorized Europe from 1348 through 1351, killing between 75 to 200 million people. Most of the people who contracted the infection died 3 days after catching it. Only a few people lived 4 days after exposure (“The Black Death of 1348 to 1350). Those who did pass away had no documentation of their death, so the exact death count is unknown to historians. The infection originated from Asia in north-western China and came to Europe on cargo traveling on the Silk Road. It is now known that the infection came from the bacterium Yersinisa pestis, which lives in flea guts (Szczepanski). When the flea bites, the bacterium transfers the infection to the victim, being humans or most likely rodents. Common first signs are swollen lymph nodes and black cyst on the armpit or groin area ( Szczepanski). Victims acquired symptoms similar to the flu, their blood dropping in pressure, heart rate increases, and a fever emerges out of nowhere (DesOrmeaux). The Black Plague, an infection that killed millions, defaced a religion, and managed to eliminate a 1/3 to 1/2 of Europe's population.
The bacteria itself can clog small blood vessels, causing them to burst. The waiting period for the plague is about one to three days, just to show symptoms, soon dead within forty-eight hours. The disease is a major depopulator. Just in Europe did it kill one-third of their population, meanwhile completely destroying two-thirds of China’s population, and decimating many Muslim towns. The disease flared and raged so quickly there wasn’t enough time to bury all the dead, so they mainly waited until the end and held a large memorial service.