Bubonic Plague (Black Death): Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

19 Feb 2024

Context: 

Bubonic Plague

Recently, A confirmed case of Bubonic plague was reported in Oregon, USA.

About Bubonic Plague

  • It is a severe bacterial infection caused by a Yersinia pestis, a Zoonotic bacteria (that can spread between animals & people) which is usually found in small mammals and their fleas.
  • Name Derived – from the Swollen lymph nodes (buboes), that it induces.
  • Ways of Transmission (According to  WHO): 
    • The Bite of infected Vector Fleas, 
    • Unprotected Contact with infectious bodily fluids or contaminated materials (like bitten by an infected rat) and 
    • The Inhalation of Respiratory droplets/small particles from patients with pneumonic plague.
  • Incubation Period: 2  to 8 days.
  • Bubonic PlagueSymptoms: 
    • Swollen lumps in the lymph nodes.
  • Birth to Other Serious Diseases: Respiratory Failure, Gangrene, Meningitis, Sepsis
  • Fatality Rate: 30% to 60%
  • Treatment: 
    • It can be effectively treated and cured using antibiotics such as Ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, Gentamicin, and Doxycycline. 
    • Without treatment, it can result in fatality.
  • Current Endemic Countries: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, and Peru.

Current Status of Bubonic Plague

  • Worldwide Cases: The WHO reports between 1,000 to 2,000 cases of plague annually. 
  • Global Distribution: Cases in Africa, Asia, South America, and certain regions of North America. However, since the 1990s, most cases have been reported in Africa.

Deadliest Plagues in History

  • The Plague of Justinian (541-542): Originating in the Byzantine Empire, this pandemic persisted in waves until the middle of the 8th century. 
  • The Black Death (1346-1353): This devastating pandemic claimed the lives of at least one-third of Europe’s population, recurring until the 19th century. 
  • The Third Plague Pandemic (1855 onwards): Originating in Yunnan, China, this bubonic plague pandemic spread globally, resulting in over 12 million deaths in India and China alone.

History of The Bubonic Plague in India 

  • First Reported Case: on 23 September 1896 at Bombay. This marked the onset of the disease during the third plague pandemic, originating from China in 1855. 
  • Spread and Transmission: The disease rapidly disseminated in India primarily through trading ships, affecting major port cities like Calcutta, Karachi, Punjab, and the United Provinces etc.
  • Human Toll: Over 12 million Indians were estimated to have succumbed to this disease.
  • Legal Response: Drafting of the Epidemic Diseases Act of 1897
    • This legislation empowered authorities with the ability to enforce special measures and regulations to address dangerous epidemic diseases.
  • 1994 plague Outbreak in India (26 August to 18 October 1994): marked an outbreak of bubonic and pneumonic plague across south-central and western regions.
    • Around 693 suspected cases and 56 deaths were reported in 5 States across India including Delhi.


Also Read: 

News Source: Indian Express

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