Pneumonic plague

General description of the disease

This is an infectious pathology that is provoked by bacteria. Y. рestis… This serious disease develops rapidly and therefore requires timely therapy. If the patient does not receive immediate treatment, he will die on the 3rd day.

Pneumonic plague has a synonym – plague pneumonia, since infection affects the lungs. Every year 1-3 thousand people suffer from this ailment.

The bacterium Y. pestis is well preserved in sputum and is resistant to low and high temperatures; it immediately dies upon boiling. Throughout the world, the plague bacillus is spread by fleas or wild rodents.

Pneumonic plague symptoms

From the moment of infection until the first signs of the disease appear, it usually takes from 2 hours to 5-6 days, on average up to 3 days. If the patient was previously vaccinated against plague, then the incubation period is up to 2 days.

This insidious disease can take two forms:

• primary form – characterized by an acute onset with a short incubation period – up to 3 days. Without immediate therapy, death is possible on the third day. The primary form of pneumonic plague is characterized by chills, weakness, red skin tone on the face, intense headache, facial swelling, pain in muscles and joints, the patient’s body temperature can rise to 41 degrees. Soon, symptoms of pneumonia appear in the form of a wet cough, pain in the chest and shortness of breath. On the next day, it is possible to separate sputum with blood in large volumes, respiratory disorders, and the development of heart failure. In this case, the patient may be haunted by the fear of death. In some cases, primary plague pneumonia can occur without sputum separation;
• secondary form develops not as intensively as the first; when the patient coughs, a small amount of viscous sputum is separated from the patient.

Pneumonic plague differs from ordinary bacterial pneumonia in the indispensable presence of all signs of intoxication of the body and frequent death.

The causes of pneumonic plague

The causative agent of this disease is the bacterium Y. рestis. Infection can occur in the following ways:

1. 1 airborne – upon contact with an infected person or animal, as well as inhalation of bacteria in a laboratory;
2. 2 when Y. рestis enters the lungs directly through a smoking pipe or cigar smoked by a patient with pneumonic plague;
3. 3 Y. рestis can enter the human body through the skin through the bite of a flea or an infected rodent… When bitten by a flea infected with a plague bacillus, a papule with hemorrhagic contents may appear at the site of the bite. Then the infection spreads through the lymphatic system, the lymph nodes increase significantly.

In natural conditions, you can become infected during hunting and butchering the carcasses of wild rodents. Among domestic animals, this pathology can develop in camels. Therefore, human infection is possible when cutting, butchering and skinning a sick animal.

Complications of pneumonic plague

If you do not start therapy for the primary form of pneumonic plague in the first two days, then the patient will inevitably die. Hundreds of years ago, before antibiotics were invented, patient survival rates were very low.

Pneumonic plague can be accompanied by heart failure, purulent meningitis, and any bacterial infection against a background of reduced immunity.

Prevention of pneumonic plague

Even with the shortest contact with a patient with pneumonic plague, prophylactic therapy based on antibiotics for 5 days is indicated; there is no vaccine against this form of plague.

General preventive measures include:

• strict adherence to the safety rules of medical workers who come into contact with infected patients;
• when an infected patient is found, he should be immediately isolated and therapy started, while it is desirable to identify and diagnose the condition of people with whom the patient has communicated in the last 10-12 days;
• regularly conduct informative work among medical personnel about the symptoms of pneumonic plague and the risk group;
• to monitor the condition of animals and natural foci, to introduce bans on hunting when a plague bacillus is detected;
• carry out preventive immunization of occupations that are at risk;
• do not touch the corpses of dead animals;
• prevent the spread of fleas indoors.

Treatment of pneumonic plague in official medicine

First of all, the infected person must be isolated. All people who have been in contact with the patient within 5 days should undergo a course of antibiotics. Pneumonic plague therapy involves:

1. 1 taking antibiotics;
2. 2 intoxication treatment;
3. 3 the use of drugs that support the cardiovascular system;
4. 4 taking drugs against pneumonia: antipyretic, pain relievers, drugs that support lung function.
5. 5 in severe cases, cleaning and blood transfusion may be necessary.

With timely and correct treatment, complete recovery can be achieved even with the most complex forms of pneumonic plague. Lack of therapy invariably leads to the death of the patient.

Attention!

The administration is not responsible for any attempt to use the information provided, and does not guarantee that it will not harm you personally. The materials cannot be used to prescribe treatment and make a diagnosis. Always consult your specialist doctor!