pest

pest

overview

Plague is a serious bacterial infection transmitted primarily by fleas. The causative agent of plague, Yersinia pestis, lives in small rodents that are most commonly found in rural and semi-rural areas of Africa, Asia, and the United States. The organism is transmitted to people bitten by fleas that have fed on infected rodents or to people who handle infected animals.

Known in the Middle Ages as the Black Death, the plague now affects fewer than 5,000 people per year worldwide. It can be fatal if not treated immediately with antibiotics. The most common form of plague causes swollen and tender lymph nodes - called bumps - in the groin, armpits or neck. The rarest and deadliest form of plague affects the lungs and can be transmitted from person to person.

Symptoms

Plague is divided into three main types – bubonic, septicemia and pneumonia – depending on which part of your body is affected. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the type of plague.

bubonic plague

Bubonic plague is the most common form of the disease. It is named for the swollen lymph nodes (bumps) that typically develop in the first week after infection. Bumps can be:

• Befindet sich in der Leistengegend, Achselhöhle oder im Nacken
• Ungefähr so ​​groß wie ein Hühnerei
• Zart und fest im Griff

Other signs and symptoms of bubonic plague may include:

• Plötzliches Auftreten von Fieber und Schüttelfrost
• Kopfschmerzen
• Müdigkeit oder Unwohlsein
• Muskelkater

Septicemic plague

Septicemic plague occurs when plague bacteria multiply in your bloodstream. Signs and symptoms include:

• Fieber und Schüttelfrost
• Extreme Schwäche
• Bauchschmerzen, Durchfall und Erbrechen
• Blutungen aus Mund, Nase oder Rektum oder unter der Haut
• Schock
• Schwärzung und Absterben von Gewebe (Gangrän) in Ihren Extremitäten, am häufigsten in Fingern, Zehen und Nase

Pneumonic plague

Pneumonic plague affects the lungs. It is the least common type of plague, but the most dangerous because it can be transmitted from person to person via cough droplets. Signs and symptoms may appear within a few hours of infection and include:

• Husten mit blutigem Schleim (Sputum)
• Schwierigkeiten beim Atmen
• Übelkeit und Erbrechen
• Hohes Fieber
• Kopfschmerzen
• Die Schwäche
• Brustschmerzen

Pneumonic plague progresses rapidly and can lead to respiratory failure and shock within two days of infection. Pneumonic plague must be treated with antibiotics within a day of the first appearance of signs and symptoms, otherwise the infection is likely to be fatal.

When to go to the doctor?

If you feel sick and have been in an area where plague is known to occur, seek medical attention immediately. You need drug treatment to prevent serious complications or death.

In the United States, the plague was transmitted to humans in several western and southwestern states - primarily New Mexico, Arizona, California and Colorado. Globally, the plague is most common in rural and semi-rural parts of Africa (particularly the African island of Madagascar), South America and Asia.

Causes

The plague bacterium Yersinia pestis is transmitted to humans through the bites of fleas that have previously fed on infected animals, such as:

• Ratten
• Mäuse
• Eichhörnchen
• Kaninchen
• Präriehunde
• Chipmunks
• Wühlmäuse

The bacteria can also enter your body when a break in your skin comes into contact with the blood of an infected animal. Domestic cats and dogs can become infected with the plague through flea bites or by eating infected rodents.

Pneumonic plague, which affects the lungs, is spread by inhaling infectious droplets coughed into the air by a sick animal or person.

Risk factors

The risk of contracting the plague is very low. Only a few thousand people worldwide contract the plague every year. However, your risk of plague may be increased depending on the area where you live and travel, your job, and your hobbies.

Location

Plague outbreaks most commonly occur in rural and semi-rural areas that are overcrowded, have poor sanitation, and have high rodent populations. Most human plague infections occur in Africa, particularly on the African island of Madagascar. The plague was also transmitted to humans in parts of Asia and South America.

The plague is rare in the United States, but it is known to occur in several western and southwestern states - primarily New Mexico, Arizona, California and Colorado.

Work

Veterinarians and their assistants are at increased risk of coming into contact with domestic cats and dogs that may have been infected with the plague. People who work outdoors in areas where plague-infected animals are common also have a higher risk of contracting the plague.

Hobbies

Camping, hunting, or hiking in areas where plague-infected animals are present can increase the risk of being bitten by an infected flea.

Complications

Complications of plague can include:

• Tod. Die meisten Menschen, die sofort mit Antibiotika behandelt werden, überleben die Beulenpest. Unbehandelte Pest hat eine hohe Sterblichkeitsrate.
• Gangrän. Blutgerinnsel in den winzigen Blutgefäßen Ihrer Finger und Zehen können den Blutfluss stören und zum Absterben dieses Gewebes führen. Die abgestorbenen Teile Ihrer Finger und Zehen müssen möglicherweise entfernt (amputiert) werden.
• Meningitis. In seltenen Fällen kann die Pest eine Entzündung der Membranen verursachen, die Ihr Gehirn und Ihr Rückenmark umgeben (Meningitis).

prevention

There is no effective vaccine available, but scientists are working to develop one. Antibiotics can help prevent infection if you are at risk of plague or have been exposed to plague. Take the following precautions if you live or spend time in areas where plague outbreaks occur:

• Machen Sie Ihr Zuhause nagetiersicher. Entfernen Sie potenzielle Nistplätze wie Gestrüpp, Steine, Brennholz und Müll. Lassen Sie Tierfutter nicht in Bereichen liegen, die Nagetiere leicht erreichen können. Wenn Sie einen Nagetierbefall bemerken, ergreifen Sie Maßnahmen, um ihn zu kontrollieren.
• Halten Sie Ihre Haustiere frei von Flöhen. Fragen Sie Ihren Tierarzt, welche Flohbekämpfungsmittel am besten wirken.
• Trag Handschuhe. Tragen Sie beim Umgang mit potenziell infizierten Tieren Handschuhe, um den Kontakt zwischen Ihrer Haut und schädlichen Bakterien zu vermeiden.
• Verwenden Sie Insektenschutzmittel. Beaufsichtigen Sie Ihre Kinder und Haustiere genau, wenn Sie sich in Gebieten mit großen Nagetierpopulationen im Freien aufhalten. Verwenden Sie Insektenschutzmittel.

Sources:

1. Fragen Sie MayoExpert. Pest. Rochester, Minnesota: Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research; 2018.
2. Küster DJ, et al. Klinische Manifestationen, Diagnose und Behandlung der Pest (Yersinia pestis-Infektion). https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. 6. Januar 2019.
3. Pest und andere Yersinia-Infektionen. Merck Manual Professional-Version. https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/gram-negative-bacilli/plague-and-other-yersinia-infections. Abgerufen am 6. Januar 2019.
4. Jameson JL, et al., Hrsg. Pest und andere Yersinia-Infektionen. In: Harrisons Prinzipien der Inneren Medizin. 20. Aufl. New York, NY: Die McGraw-Hill-Unternehmen; 2018. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com. Abgerufen am 6. Januar 2019.
5. Pest. Zentren für die Kontrolle und Prävention von Krankheiten. https://www.cdc.gov/plague/. Abgerufen am 6. Januar 2019.