Plague is a serious disease of an infectious nature, occurring with an increase in body temperature, damage to the lungs and lymph nodes. Often, against the background of this ailment, an inflammatory process develops in all body tissues. The disease has a high mortality threshold.
History reference
In the entire history of modern mankind there has not been such a ruthless illness as the plague. Until today, information has come to the effect that in ancient times, a disease claimed the lives of a large number of people. Epidemics usually began after direct contact with infected animals. Often the spread of the disease turned into a pandemic. History knows three such cases.
The first was called the Justinian plague. This pandemic case was recorded in Egypt (527-565 gg.). The second was called Great. The plague in Europe raged for five years, taking with them the lives of about 60 million people. The third pandemic occurred in Hong Kong in 1895. She later moved to India, where more than 10 million people died.
One of the largest epidemics was in France, where the famous psychic Nostradamus lived at that time. He tried to fight the "black death" with the help of herbal medicine. Florentine iris, sawdust of cypress, cloves, aloe and aromatic calamus he mixed with rose petals. From the resulting mixture, the psychic made the so-called pink pills. Unfortunately, the plague in Europe consumed his wife and children.
Many cities where death reigned were completely burned. Doctors, trying to help the sick, dressed in antiplague armor (leather long coat, mask with a long nose). Doctors placed various herbs in the mask. The oral cavity was rubbed with garlic, and rags were stuck in the ears.
Why does the plague develop?
Is a virus or bacterium a causative agent of the disease? This disease is caused by a microorganism called Yersonina pestis. This bacterium remains viable for a long period of time. It exhibits resistance to the heating process. To environmental factors (oxygen, sunlight, change in acidity), the plague bacterium is quite sensitive.
The source of the disease are wild rodents, in an urban environment it is usually a rat. In rare cases, a person is a carrier of the bacteria.
The plague is transmitted in various ways, the leading place among which belongs to the transmissible. The carriers of the bacteria are fleas and ticks. They live on animals that transport pathogens with migration. People become infected by rubbing flea excrement into the skin. These parasites retain a pathological effect for seven weeks.
All people have a natural susceptibility to infection. Pathology can develop against the background of infection in absolutely any way. Post-infectious immunity is relative. However, repeated infections usually occur in uncomplicated form.
What are the signs of the plague: symptoms of the disease
The incubation period of the disease is from 3 to about 6 days, but in a pandemic, it can be reduced to a day. The plague begins acutely, accompanied by a sharp increase in temperature, symptoms of intoxication of the body. Patients complain of discomfort in the joints, vomiting with impurities of blood. In the first hours of infection, signs of psychomotor agitation are observed . A person becomes overly active, he is pursued by the desire to run somewhere, then hallucinations and delusions already arise. The infected person cannot speak and move clearly.
Of the external symptoms, hyperemia of the face, hemorrhagic rash can be noted . Facial expression takes on a characteristic, suffering look. The tongue gradually increases in size, a white coating appears on it. The occurrence of tachycardia, a decrease in blood pressure, are also noted.
Doctors distinguish several forms of this disease: bubonic, skin, septic, pulmonary. Each option is characterized by characteristic features. We will talk about them later in this article.
Bubonic plague
Bubonic plague is the most common form of the disease. By buboes we mean specific changes in the lymph nodes. They, as a rule, are single. Initially, soreness is noted in the area of the lymph nodes. After 1-2 days, they increase in size, acquire a doughy consistency, the temperature rises sharply. The further course of the disease can lead to both self-resorption of the bubo and the formation of an ulcer.
Skin plague
For this form of pathology, the occurrence of carbuncles in the area where the pathogen has invaded the body is characteristic. Plague disease is accompanied by the formation of painful pustules with reddish contents on the skin. Around them is the area of infiltration and hyperemia. If you open the pustule yourself, in its place there is an ulcer with yellow pus. After a while, the bottom is covered with a black scab, which is gradually torn away, leaving behind scars.
Pneumonic plague
Pulmonary plague is the most dangerous form of the disease from an epidemic point of view. The incubation period totals from several hours to two days. On the second day after infection, a strong cough appears, there is soreness in the chest area, shortness of breath. Radiographs show signs of pneumonia. Coughing is usually accompanied by frothy and bloody discharge. When the condition worsens, disturbances in consciousness and functioning of the main systems of internal organs are observed.
Septic plague
The disease is characterized by rapid development. Septic plague is a rare pathology that is distinguished by the appearance of hemorrhages in the skin and mucous membranes. Symptoms of general intoxication are gradually increasing. From the breakdown of bacterial cells in the blood, the content of toxic substances increases. As a result, the patient's condition deteriorates sharply.
Diagnostic measures
Due to the particular danger of this pathology and high susceptibility to bacteria, the pathogen is isolated exclusively in laboratory conditions. Specialists take material from carbuncles, sputum, buboes and ulcers. Allocation of the pathogen from the blood is allowed.
Serological diagnosis is carried out using the following tests: RNAG, ELISA, RNGA. Isolation of pathogen DNA by PCR is possible. Non-specific diagnostic methods include blood and urine tests, lung radiography.
What treatment is required?
Patients with a diagnosis of "plague", the symptoms of which occur within a few days, are placed in special boxes. As a rule, this is a single room, equipped with a separate toilet room and always with double doors. Etiotropic therapy is carried out with antibiotics in accordance with the clinical form of the disease. The duration of treatment is usually 7-10 days.
With a skin form, “Co-trimoxazole” is prescribed, with a bubonic form, “Levomycetin”. For the treatment of pulmonary and septic variants of the disease, “Streptomycin” and “Doxycycline” are used.
In addition, symptomatic therapy is performed. Antipyretics are used to lower the temperature. To restore blood pressure, steroid hormones are prescribed. Sometimes support is required for the work of the lungs and kidneys by apparatus for the artificial replacement of their functions.
Forecast and consequences
Currently, subject to the recommendations of the doctor for treatment, mortality from the plague is quite low (5-10%). Timely medical care and prevention of generalization contribute to recovery without serious health consequences. In rare cases, transient sepsis is diagnosed, which is difficult to treat and often leads to death.