As a person, I heard about the plague when we were taught about bible stories, and since that time, I thought it was an ancient disease that was no longer in existence. I was surprised when I found it in my latest research, the name and where I had heard it immediately came to mind and I knew I had to know if it is the same type of plague we were taught in the story or if it signifies something else now.
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Well, I found out there are three different types of plagues, and I cannot tell which one exactly is the type that affected those people in the story we heard. Plague is a zoonotic disease that can effectively affect humans and animals, the both parties can transmit it from one to another. The disease is usually transmitted through the bites that come from a flea that has previously bitten an infected animal.
The bacteria explores more in the company of smaller animals like rabbits, and squirrels.
Plague is spread by the bacterium Yersinia pestis Of all the three existing types of plagues, bubonic plague is the most common one, and it is regarded as the most survivable one too. The name bubonic plague is derived from the swollen lymph nodes(buboes) which are caused by the disease. The nodes will appear in the neck, groin, and armpit area, then could become as large as an egg that could ooze out pus when ready.
It was this same bubonic plague that killed about 25 million people in the 14th century. Rats traveled on ships and brought fleas and plague with them, so many people who had the plague at the time died, so it was named the black death, and at the time there was no cure available. When bubonic plague affects humans, other associated symptoms include sudden fever, weakness, muscle chest, headaches, and skin sores on some occasions.
Septicemic Plague is another type of plague that happens when the infection of plagues multiply in the bloodstream. This type of plague in humans usually begins with weakness, high fever, cold, diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. Then, it advances to more serious symptoms where the affected person begins to bleed from the mouth, rectum, underneath the skin, and nose. It can also cause the blackening and death of tissue, there is also a positive of low bleed pressure, seizure, and rash.
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Pneumonic plague focuses on the lungs, the disease may spread from infected lymph nodes to the lungs. Symptoms may begin to show just a few hours after exposure and get worse very fast too. Expected symptoms are; chest pain, weakness of the body, headaches, cough accompanied by bloody mucus, stomach upset and vomiting.
Pet cats and dogs, wild cats and coyotes can get the plague when they eat other smaller infected animals, cats in particular are more subjected to plagues, and they can get it when they eat sick rodents. To prevent plague both in animals and humans, you need to ensure your home is free from rodents and other wild animals. Make use of flea control products on your pets, especially with those animals who are allowed to roam freely.
Put on protective clothing's most importantly, the use of hand gloves, especially when you handle dead animals. Insect repellents are important for when you move to areas that are susceptible to fleas. You should also be careful with a person who sneezes on you, if they have plagues in their lungs, it could spread.
Bubonic plagues must be treated when they occur, this treatment will prevent the escalation of the plague into pneumonic and septicemic plagues which are very terrible. The complications of plague could cause, organ and respiratory failure, inflammation of the lining of the brain, tissue death and loss of limbs. But, with quick treatment with antibiotics, a lot of people have been reported to survive the infection of the plague.
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