Yersinia pestis

• • is known with its notorious pandemics, and the 3rd pandemic known as the "Black death" in human history
  • Categorized in group 1 of agents of potential biological weapon and bioterrorism concerns
  • Natural foci of plague are situated in all continent save Australia
  • Cause of bubonic plague in humans, transmitted via fleas from infected rodents (rats)
  • Less frequently Pneumonic plague, infection caused by inhaling infectious respiratory droplets
  • Not a significant veterinary disease
  • Disease in rats and other rodents similar to the disease in humans
  • Bubonic form can lead to the pneumonic form, which is highly contagious and usually fatal
  • Humans and domestic and wild animals incidental hosts
  • Plague has rarely been reported in dogs, cats, camels, elephants, deer
  • Cats can acquire the disease from ingesting dead rodents, and show lymphadenopathy and abscesses
  • Fever, lethargy, swelling and abscessation of lymph nodes particularly in head and neck region
  • 50% mortality if not treated
  • new multi-durg resistant strains were reported
  • Possesses 3 plasmids, 2 of which are unique to this species; these encode an endotoxin, and coagulase and fibrinolytic activity

Literature Search

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A review of plague persistence with special emphasis on fleas. Wimsatt, J.; Biggins, D. E.; National Institute of Malaria Research, Delhi, India, Journal of Vector Borne Diseases, 2009, 46, 2, pp 85-99, 171 ref. - Full Text Article