The Plague: The Cause Of Black Death

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The most notorious disease episodes in history was the Plague outbreaks. The most infamous was the black death, which was a medieval pandemic that spread through Asia and then Europe. In the late 1340's it spread to Europe and killed an estimate of about 25 million people. Black death was present mostly in cities and stayed untreated for centuries. The cause of plague wasn't discovered until 1855 and didn't officially end until 1959. Hong Kong, 1894, was the first breakthrough to find out the cause of Black Death. Researchers found out that animals like mice, camels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, rabbits, and squirrels carried the flea that causes the Plague. The most dangerous for humans though, were rats. The rats carried the flea and transmitted a disease called Xenopsylla Cheopis …show more content…
It depends on which part of your body is involved. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the type of Plague you can have. Bubonic plague is the most common which develops within a week after your infected. Symptoms may occur: in your groin, armpit, or neck, about the size of a chicken egg, tender and warm to the touch. Other symptoms may be: sudden onset of ever and chills, headaches, fatigue or malaise, and muscle aches. Septicemic Plague occurs when plague bacteria multiplies in your bloodstream. Symptoms include: fever and chills, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, bleeding from your mouth, nose or rectum, or under your skin, shock, blackening and death of tissues in your extremities. (Extremities are your fingers, toes, etc.) Pneumonic Plague affects lungs although its the least common its the most dangerous because it can spread from person to person from cough droplets, sneezes, etc. This type of Plague can begin to accumulate a few hours after being infected. Symptoms and signs are: Cough, with bloody sputum, difficulty breathing, high fever, nausea and vomiting, and weakness.