Black Plague: Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

The black plague, or bubonic plague, or the black death as it is also known is a bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis. The disease one of the largest pandemics in known history as it swept through Europe as "The Black Death" in the mid-1300's. The Black Plague can cause death in a patient as soon as 5 days after infection, and it spreads very easily. The disease can be contained and treated, however, if it is identified before it has a chance to progress. Therefore quick identification and treatment of the Black Plague is critical.

Black Plague: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment - Early Symptoms

The most identifiable symptom of the Black Plague, and the one most associated with the disease, are the development of Buboes. Buboes are enlargements of the lymph nodes located in the neck area, groin and underneath the armpits. These nodes can range in size from 1 to 10 centimeters and are usually discolored. Buboes are found in 70% of Black Plague patients.

The other early symptoms of Black Plague are more generic and can often be used to mistakenly identify the Black Plague as a different disease. These symptoms include

• headache

• fever

• nausea

• chills

• abdominal pain

• diarrhea

• vomiting

• petechiae

Black Plague: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment - Later Symptoms

As the disease progresses (over the course of about a week), the symptoms become more serious and become life threatening if not treated. These include:

• Severe Migraines

• Coughing up blood

• Increased Breathing

• Difficulty Breathing

• Respiratory Failure

• Rapid Heart Rate

• Delerium

• And ultimately Death

Black Plague: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment - Causes

The Black Plague ultimately stemps from the bacteria Yersinia pestis. The bacteria is most commonly found in the common flea, Xenopsylla cheopis. The bacteria colonizing these fleas will eventually kill the rat hosts and cause the fleas to seek out new homes, very often on humans. When the fleas bite their new human hosts they transmit the bacteria directly into the bloodstream where it travels into the human's blood stream and subsequently causes the development of the Black Plague.

In about 20% of Black Plague cases, the disease will spread to the patient's lungs. When this happens it is generally referred to as Pneumonic plague. This is one of the most dangerous types of plague because it is highly infectious: the bacteria can now be airborn in water droplets which a person exhales.

Black Plague: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment - Treatment

Although there was no treatment for the Black Plague in the 1300's, today we have an array of antibiotics which are effective against the disease. These include doxycycline, gentamicin and aminoglycosides streptomycin. If the disease is identified soon after infection, the Black Plague is almost always treatable and patients make full recoveries.