Bubonic Plague
Bubonic Plague is an infectious disease of animals and humans caused by a bacterium named Yersinia Pestis. Bubonic plague is transmitted via a flea biting a rat and then biting a human. It cannot be transmitted from human to human. The earliest date which bubonic plague is found is the early 1330's when an outbreak occurred in china.
Bubonic plague is called "The Black Death" because it causes necrosis of the extremities, which turned black, much like frostbite. When infected, people usually show symptoms similar to fever, headache, chills, weakness, red blotches on the skin (which later turn to black), and swelling of the lymph glands. Bubonic Plague is called as such because of the swelling of the lymph glands, which are called buboes. Bubonic plague killed 25 million European countrymen in a total of five years. Although the majority of people killed was in a span of five years, the plague didn't really go away until the 1600's. Pneumonic plague is where Y. Pestis infects a person's lungs. Pneumonic Plague is transmitted through the air in respiratory droplets meaning sneezing, coughing, or even exhaling. If not treated within 24 hours, the death rate is 100%, however, if treated the death rate drops to 5-10%. Symptoms for Pneumonic Plague are much more Pneumonia like and include fever, headache, weakness, shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough.
Although bubonic plague is very treatable, it is still a very dangerous disease in the same league as smallpox, and Ebola. Bubonic Plague can be treated with antibiotics such as Prophylaxis, gentamycine, and tetracycline. The Plague could be used as a chemical weapon if samples were aerosolized, such as placing them inside of spray paint can, or even /* Havn't gotten a grade on this one yet, so have /* fun! /* Use With Caution
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