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Causes Of Plague In Madagascar

Satisfactory Essays

Veronicka Vega
Professor Shea
English 1020
8, October 2017
The Plague in Modern Times Rough Draft Most people when they hear the word “plague” think of the Black Plague that swept through Europe in the mid 1300’s that resulted in millions of deaths. It is not well known that there are areas where the plague is endemic still to this day in places such as Madagascar, Congo, and even the United States. Public health officials and international organizations such as the World Health Organization, have generated methods of prevention and control that require government participation year-round. Despite prevention and control efforts, endemic areas are still dealing with their plague seasons annually and in Madagascar have seen the worst epidemics …show more content…

The plague has three different forms depending on where the infection takes place. Bubonic plague is the most common form and is caused when the Y. pestis bacteria enters through the lymphatic system. In the bubonic form of the plague the lymph nodes become inflamed and painful resulting in what are called buboes. The second form of the plague is the septicemic form which occurs when the bacteria travels through the blood stream from either flea bites or direct contact with infected materials. Septicemic plague can also be a result of an untreated bubonic plague infection that has advanced and spread to the blood stream. The third form of the plague is the pneumonic plague, the least common but also the most vicious. The pneumonic plague is a direct result of an untreated bubonic infection. With the pneumonic version, infected individuals can spread the infection to others via infected aerosolized droplets. The pneumonic plague has a case-fatality ratio close to 100%, which makes it the deadliest of the three routes of infection. After the initial incubation period which can be 3-7 days, flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, body weakness, and vomiting will develop. (Plague, World Health

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