DEFINITION
Plague is an acute febrile disease caused by infection with Yersinia pestis. Human cases are infrequent and are curable with antibiotics. Plague is, however, one of the most virulent and potentially lethal bacterial diseases known, and fatality rates remain high among patients who are not treated in the early stages of infection. Plague occurs in widely scattered foci in Asia, Africa, and the Americas (Fig. 152-1), where its usual hosts are various wild rodents and human-associated rats. Infection is transmitted to humans typically by flea bite and infrequently by direct contact with infected animal tissues or by airborne droplet. The principal clinical forms of plague are bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic. Although most cases are now sporadic, occurring singly or in small clusters, the potential for outbreaks and epidemic spread remains. Because of its virulence and transmissibility, Y. pestis is considered an important potential agent of biological terrorism that requires special countermeasures to protect the public’s health (Chap. 214).
The excerpt above is an example of the information available at Harrison's Practice.
For full access, please subscribe today!
Subscribers, log into your account below. |
| About Harrison's Practice Harrison's Practice delivers practical, concise answers to your clinical questions in an innovative and easy-to-navigate format. Available anytime, anywhere on Web, Web Wireless, and PDA, all for one subscription rate! To see a complete, unabridged topic click on any of the Free Topics below: Learn more |
