In many cases, bubonic plague symptoms tend to develop within one to six days after exposure, and range from enlarged lymph nodes to diarrhea to vomiting. If left untreated, the condition is often fatal. Less than 10 percent of people with the disease go on to develop bubonic plague meningitis. Symptoms of bubonic plague meningitis can include stiff neck, fever, headache, and coma.
Signs and Symptoms of Bubonic Plague: An Overview
Once a person becomes infected with
plague bacteria (
Yersinia pestis), these bacteria begin to multiply, and after one to six days,
bubonic plague symptoms can occur. The period between becoming infected and the start of symptoms is called the
plague incubation period. If they are not treated immediately, symptoms can rapidly worsen, and death may occur.
Common Bubonic Plague Symptoms
Common symptoms of this disease include:
- Fever
- Buboes (tender, enlarged lymph nodes in the armpits, neck, or groin, ranging in size from 1 to 10 cm, in 70 percent of patients)
- Headache
- Abdominal pain
- Chills
- Diarrhea, which may be bloody
- Nausea
- Decreased appetite
- Tiny broken blood vessels (called petechiae)
- Vomiting.
Other Symptoms of Bubonic Plague
In less than 10 percent of cases,
bubonic plague
meningitis occurs as a result of plague. Symptoms of bubonic plague meningitis can include:
- Coma
- Stiff neck
- Headache
- Fever
- Confusion.
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