Plague - causes and symptoms of plague

Types of Plague

Experts distinguish the following forms of plague:

• cutaneous form;
• bubonic form – the most common form of this disease;
• cutaneous-bubonic form – combines symptoms of cutaneous and bubonic plague;
• primary septicemic form – has a short incubation period. Without adequate treatment – ends in death in 100% of cases;
• primary pulmonary form – this form develops with airborne infection. A very dangerous form;
• intestinal form.

According to another classification, by forms of the disease, plague is:

• local - bubonic, cutaneous, cutaneous-bubonic. These forms can develop into secondary pneumonia and secondary plague sepsis;
• generalized - secondary septic and primary septic;
• externally disseminated - intestinal, primary pulmonary.

The following periods are characteristic of the plague:

• latent - when there are no symptoms of the disease. This stage is endured by rodents during hibernation;
• Acute - characterized by the manifestation of all symptoms.

Stages of the plague:

• Stage 1 - penetration of the infection into the body and its entry into the lymph nodes. Here the infection lingers for a short time. At this stage, the development of a plague bubo with elements of necrotic, hemorrhagic and inflammatory processes inside the lymph nodes is characteristic;
• Stage 2 - penetration of the infection into the blood. The development of toxicosis with rheological changes in the properties of the blood is characteristic. Microcirculation is disrupted in various organs;
• Stage 3 - the infection overcomes the reticulohistiocytic barrier, and also disseminated in various systems and organs. Sepsis develops.

Causes

Causes that lead to the development of this disease:

• infection penetrates through a flea bite, conjunctiva, digestive tract, mucous membranes of the upper respiratory tract;
• infection penetrates the body when rubbing flea waste products into the skin (occurs when scratching the bite site);
• rodent hunting;
• processing rodent carcasses;
• cutting animal carcasses;
• processing animal meat;
• eating meat from infected animals;
• failure to comply with sanitary standards when working with animals;
• contact with infected animals and rodents;
• failure to observe personal hygiene rules;
• infection is widespread;
• contact with an infected person who has a pulmonary form of this disease;
• contact with the contents of the plague bubo;
• contact with the corpses of infected people.

The causative agent of the plague is the plague bacillus. The infection is carried by fleas, rodents, mice, rats and other animals. The infection is transmitted by a flea bite. The main carrier of the infection is the rat (in cities and ports), but the sources of infection, in natural conditions, are gophers, gerbils, marmots, voles, pikas and other rodents. Dogs are completely resistant to this infection, but can carry it with fleas.

Symptoms

All forms of plague are characterized by the formation of pustules and papules at the site of a flea bite, which can (depending on the form of the disease) be filled with hemorrhagic contents. Then, lymphatic vessels wedge into the pathological process, but so far without the manifestation of lymphadenitis. Bacteria multiply in the lymph nodes. Their number increases and they form conglomerates. Then sepsis may develop.

The clinical picture of plague mainly depends on the site of infection in the body (lungs, skin, or gastrointestinal tract).

Symptoms of cutaneous plague:

• a pustule develops on the skin;
• the pustule is painful;
• the contents of the pustule are dark red;
• an ulcer forms at the site of the pustule, which can increase in size.

Symptoms of bubonic plague:

• damage to the lymph nodes;
• buboes are single (but can be multiple);
• nodes merge into a single conglomerate;
• lymph nodes can resolve on their own or ulcerate;
• necrosis.

Symptoms of the primary septic form of plague:

• intoxication;
• hemorrhagic manifestations on the skin;
• infectious toxic shock is characteristic.

Symptoms of the primary pulmonary form of plague:

• acute onset;
• intoxication syndrome;
• chest pain;
• cough;
• shortness of breath;
• cardiovascular insufficiency;
• cyanosis.

Symptoms of the intestinal form of plague:

• abdominal pain;
• vomiting;
• diarrhea.

Diagnostics

When the first signs of plague appear, you need to make an appointment with an infectious disease specialist. The doctor will conduct an examination, consultation and prescribe the following tests:

• hemogram;
• bacteriological examination;
• serological tests.

Treatment

Treatment of plague consists of taking:

• antiviral drugs;
• etiotropic therapy;
• detoxification therapy;
• drugs that improve microcirculation and reparation;
• respiratory analeptics;
• antipyretics.

Prevention

Prevention of plague consists of in:

• sanitary and epidemiological control of rodents;
• compliance with sanitary rules;
• preventive immunization of the population.