Is There a Cure for the Bubonic Plague?

Many people wonder, "Is there a cure for the bubonic plague?" Antibiotics are most commonly used as treatment for the disease, and are effective in 85 percent of cases. The most convenient cure for bubonic plague -- at least in the United States -- is preventing it from occurring. This is achieved through public health education, environmental management, and preventive drug therapy.
 

Is There a Cure for the Bubonic Plague? -- An Overview

Preventing infection is the best cure for bubonic plague. If a person does develop the disease, early plague treatment offers the best chance for recovery. The plague vaccine is no longer commercially available in the United States.
 

Is There a Cure for the Bubonic Plague? -- Prevention

Plague outbreaks will most likely continue to occur among wild rodent hosts, and plague will probably continue to exist in its many localized geographic areas around the world. Attempts to eliminate wild rodent plague are costly and futile; therefore, plague prevention is directed toward reducing the threat of infection in humans in high-risk areas through three techniques:
 
  • Public health education
  • Environmental management
  • Preventive drug therapy.
     
(Click Plague Prevention for more information on techniques that can offer a preventative cure for bubonic plague.)
 

Is There a Cure for the Bubonic Plague? -- Early Treatment

Bubonic plague is a rapidly progressive illness that can result in death within one week of plague symptoms occurring; therefore, it is important that the disease be diagnosed and treated early. Early treatment offers a cure for the bubonic plague in 85 percent of cases. If left untreated, the body is able to effectively fight the plague bacteria (Yersinia pestis) and cure the infection in 10 to 50 percent of cases. Treatment for bubonic plague typically involves antibiotics.
 
(Is There a Cure for the Bubonic Plague? Continued: Page 2)
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Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD