Plague is a highly infectious and often fatal disease seen in the tropical area. It often occurs in epidemic form. Plague is considered to have been eliminated from the globe, but a recent (2001) case in Himachal/Uttaranchal area caused panic. The disease was contained with remarkable alacrity. Plague is caused by a bacillus which is found in rats and the infection can be conveyed to man by the bite of the rat flea.
There are two main forms bubonic where the lymph glands become enlarged and the pneumonic where the principal feature is a severe bronchopneumonia. In both types severe prostration and toxemia arc present and the death rate is high.
In preventing the spread of infection the suppression of rats and their eradication is most important. The treatment of an individual attack consists of the routine nursing care of a severe infectious fever and the administration of streptomycin. Il is a dreadful disease indeed.
It is an epidemic of serious nature, which is spread by fleas. These fleas generally feed upon the rats and when the rats have died in large numbers, they attack the human beings. When human beings fall a prey to the infection of these fleas, they suffer from plague.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
Characteristics
When the fleas sting human beings they leave the germs of plague in their blood and the following symptoms appear:
(1) The patient suffers from fever.
(2) Glands appear in the thighs.
ADVERTISEMENTS:
(3) The patient feels very restless.