Bubonic Plaque is back!

Yes, you heard it right! Authorities in the Chinese region of Inner Mongolia have closed several tourist spots after a case of bubonic plague was confirmed this week.

The case was discovered in Bayannur, located northwest of the capital Beijing. Five nearby grassland scenic points have now been closed, with visitors "strictly prohibited from entering the affected area and visiting the surrounding region," according to state-run Xinhua news agency.

Consumption of marmot meat or organs has been linked to a smattering of other recent bubonic plague cases across the Chinese border in neighboring Mongolia -- two cases were confirmed last week, and a suspected case was reported on Monday.

Inner Mongolia authorities are also implementing stricter management of other grassland tourist sites to ensure visitors don't feed or touch wild animals, and to decrease the population of rodents or fleas that may carry diseases, according to the Xinhua report.

Hospital authorities in Bayannur first alerted city officials of the suspected case on Saturday. The city was placed under a Level 3 warning for plague prevention, the second lowest in a four-level system, on Sunday.

BUT WHAT IS BUBONIC PLAGUE?

Plague is a disease that affects humans and other mammals. It is caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Humans usually get plague after being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an animal infected with plague.

Bubonic plague is one of three types of plague caused by Yersinia pestis. Flu like symptoms may develop in this after 1-7 days after the exposure followed by fever, headache and vomiting. Swollen lymph nodes may occur which occasionally may even break open thus increasing the infectivity.

LITTLE ABOUT YERSENIA PESTIS:

Yersinia pestis (formerly called Pasteurella pestis) is a rod-shaped bacterium with no spores. It is a facultative anaerobic (survives in the absence of oxygen) organism that can infect humans via the rat flea. It causes the disease plague, which takes three main forms: pneumonic, septicemic, and bubonic.

Y. pestis is a non-motile (not able to move on its own), stick-shaped, facultative anaerobic bacterium with bipolar staining (giving it a safety pin appearance). Similar to other Yersinia species, it tests negative for urease, lactose fermentation, and indole. Its closest relative is the gastrointestinal pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, and more distantly Yersinia enterocolitica.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF BUBONIC PLAGUE:

Major symptoms of bubonic plaque include flu, fever (more than 102 F), headache, vomiting, smooth painful swelling of lymph nodes and gangrene of toes, fingers, lips and tip of nose.

Other symptoms may include heavy breathing, continuous vomiting of blood, aching limbs, coughing, and extreme pain caused by the decay or decomposition of the skin while the person is still alive.

Additional minor symptoms may include fatigue, gastrointestinal problems, black dots scattered throughout the body, delirium, coma, and death.

TREATMENT:

Several classes of antibiotics are effective in treating bubonic plague including aminoglycosides (streptomycin and gentamicin), tetracycline (doxycycline) and fluoroquinolone (ciprofloxacin).

People potentially infected with the plague need immediate treatment and should be given antibiotics within 24 hours of the first symptoms to prevent death. Other treatments include oxygen, intravenous fluids, and respiratory support. People who have had contact with anyone infected by pneumonic plague are given prophylactic antibiotics.

Mortality rate is dropped from 40-60% in untreated patients to 1-15% in treated patients.

IS THERE ANY HISTORY OF BUBONIC PLAGUE?

Bubonic Plaque was the reason behind 3 pandemics recorded in the world history. Ever heard of Black Death? Bubonic plaque was the reason behind the disastrous epidemic of Europe.

         · First Pandemic:

The first recorded epidemic dates back to around 500 AD affecting the Sassanian Empire of Iran who was the last Persian dynasty before the arrival of Islam. This plaque also effected the Byzantine Empire at the same time killing almost 25 million to 50 million people. In the spring of 542 AD, the plague arrived Constantinople (Istanbul) traveling from one port city to another spreading to Mediterranean Sea into Asia Minor all the way to Greece and Italy.

        · Second Pandemic:

It all started in the year 1346 and lasted for around 7 years wiping out 60% of entire population of Europe. Although many historians believe that it originated in Central Asia and spread from Italy to other European countries. Many ancient Chinese records have found that it have arisen from Mongolia. It used to spread from black rats commonly known as “black rats” or “house rats” from them it was transferred on fleas and from fleas humans were infected.

 From the bite site, it travels via lymph nodes into groin, things, armpits and neck causing painful bubo; hence the name “bubonic plaque” was coined. During the time of Black Death in about 80% of cases the victims die.

         ·Third Pandemic:

The plague resurfaced again in mid- 19^th century originating from Eastern Asia, most likely from Yunnan province of China. In the year 1894, the disease killed 80,000 people in a single city of China. According to WHO, the pandemic was considered active until 1959.

SHALL WE WORRY ABOUT IT?

According to WHO, the spread of bubonic plaque in China is not a great health risk and everything is under control.

So NO, we shall not be worrying about its spread all thanks to the latest research and medicines introduced to cope up with the infection.

That being said, please be cautions when using anti-bacterial and anti-biotic drugs as frequent use may induce resistance of the bacteria against any of the drug which will make it difficult for physician to treat the disease and make it likely for the disease to spread wide.

(P.S. China should definitely reconsider their dietary habits. First Coronavirus, then Hantavirus and now Bubonic plaque all spreading from various meat and animal reservoirs.)