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By ULY CLINIC

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Plague


An infectious disease caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis, usually found in small mammals and their fleas. It is transmitted between animals from their fleas. Humans can be contaminated by the bite of infected fleas, through direct contact with infected materials or by inhalation.

 

Diagnostic Criteria

 

  • Sudden onset of fever, chills, head and body aches

  • Weakness, vomiting and nausea.

  • Yersinia pestis is identified by laboratory testing from a sample of pus from a bubo, blood or sputum.

  • A specific Y. pestis antigen can be detected by different techniques.

 

There are 3 forms of plague infection, depending on the route of infection:

 

Bubonic plague

 

Is the most common, caused by the bite of an infected flea. Y. pestis, enters at the bite and travels through the lymphatic system to the nearest lymph node, replicates itself and causes the lymph node to be inflamed, tense and painful, turning into open sores with pus.

 

Septicaemic plague

 

Occurs when infection spreads through the bloodstream, following untreated bubonic plague causing bleeding, tissue necrosis and shock.

 

Pneumonic plague

 

Is the most virulent form and is rare. It is typically caused by spread to the lungs from advanced bubonic plague. However, any person with pneumonic plague may transmit the disease via droplets to other humans. Untreated pneumonic plague can be fatal.

 

Prevention:

 

  • Inform people of the presence of zoonotic plague and advised to take precautions against flea bites

  • Do not handle animal carcasses and avoid direct contact with infected body fluids and tissues

  • Apply standard precautions when handling potentially infected patients and while collecting specimens


Vaccination:

 

Not recommended expect for high-risk groups (such as laboratory personnel who are constantly exposed to the risk of contamination, and health care workers).

 

Pharmacological Treatment

 

  • Streptomycin 30 mg/kg/day (up to a total of 2 g/day) in divided doses IM, to be continued for 10 days of therapy or until 3 days after the temperature has returned to normal.

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Updated on, 28.10.2020

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References

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1. STG of Tanzania

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