Plague Articles A-Z
|
|
|
This eMedTV Web page explains techniques for plague prevention that reduce the threat of infection in humans. For example, because there is no vaccine, antibiotics are often given to those who are in close contact with infected animals or people.
Plague research is aimed at identifying genes in the bacteria that cause plague. This eMedTV resource outlines other areas of research, such as developing more promising treatment options and developing a vaccine against inhaled forms of the plague.
This eMedTV Web page discusses the three forms of plague transmission and the bacteria that cause the disease. Transmission most often occurs through the bites of infected fleas; person to person transmission is extremely rare.
This segment of the eMedTV archives explains the importance of prompt plague treatment (often in the form of antibiotics). The quicker the disease is diagnosed and treatment begun, the better a person's chances of survival.
Pneumonic plague is one of the three types of plague caused by the Yersinia pestis bacteria. This portion of the eMedTV archives discusses this disease in detail, including the incubation period, symptoms, and treatment methods.
Pneumonic plague symptoms usually appear one to three days after infection, and, as this eMedTV resource explains, can include shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough. This page also describes what happens if symptoms are left untreated.
This eMedTV Web page describes how septicemic plague can result from the bite of an infected animal or as a complication of untreated pneumonic or bubonic plague. This page also explains treatments, symptoms, and transmission methods.
