FREE ESSAY ON THE BUBONIC PLAGUE

THE BUBONIC PLAGUE

THE BUBONIC PLAGUE
Introduction
Plague, was a term that was applied in the Middle Ages to all fatal epidemic diseases,
but now it is only applied to an acute, infectious, contagious disease of rodents and
humans, caused by a short, thin, gram-negative bacillus. In humans, plague occurs in
three forms: bubonic plague, pneumonic plague, and septicemic plague. The best known form
is the bubonic plague and it is named after buboes, or enlarged, inflamed lymph nodes,
which are characteristics of the plague in the groin or neck or armpit. Bubonic plague
can only be transmitted by the bite of any of numerous insects that are normally
parasitic on rodents and that seek new hosts when the original host dies. If the plague
is left untreated it is fatal in thirty to seventy five percent of all cases. Mortality
in treated cases is only five to ten percent.
History Of The Bubonic Plague
The origin of the bubonic plague is unknown but it may have started in Africa or India.
Colonies of infected rats were established in Northern India, many years ago. Some of
these rodents had infected traders on the route between the Middle East and China. After
1330 the plague had invaded China. From China it was transferred westward by traders and
Mongol armies in the 14th century. While these traders were travelling westward they
followed a more northerly route through the grasslands of what is now Russia, thus
establishing a vast infected rodent population there.
In 1346 the disease reached Crimea and found its way to Europe in 1347. The outbreak in
Europe was a devastating one, which resulted in more than 25 million deaths-about twenty
five percent of the continent's whole population. After that the plague reappeared
irregularly in many European cities until the early 18th century, when it suddenly
stopped there. No explanation has ever been given for the plague's rapid disappearance.
Symptoms and Causes
The first symptoms of the bubonic plague are headache, vomiting, nausea, aching joints
and a feeling of ill health. The lymph nodes of the groin or of the armpit or neck
suddenly start to become swollen and painful. The pulse and respiration rate of a bubonic
plague victim is increased, and the victim will become listless and exhausted. The buboes
will swell until they are approximately the size of a chicken egg. If a case is nonfatal
than the temperature will begin to fall in about five days, and approaches normal in
about two weeks, but in fatal cases death will probably occur within four days.
Yersinia Pestis, an infectious agent is the cause of the Bubonic Plague. Yersina Pestis
is a bacteria, which means the cells lack the internal organization of eukaryotic cells.
These bacteria cells would contain the membrane but they would not be able to subdivide
the inside of the cell. These bacteria cells do not have a nucleus so instead they have a
nucleiod that contains genetic material. The two types of bacteria cells are
gram-negative and gram-positive. Yersina Pestis is gram negative and that means that
antibiotics are less effective on the plague because of a lipopolysaccharide layer over
their walls that adds extra protection.
Lymphatic System
The bubonic plague has a major impact on the lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is
made up of lymph nodes, lymphatic vessels, lymphoid organs and circulating lymphocytes.
Plague victims tend to have large bumps on their bodies which are called buboes. These
are actually swollen lymph nodes filled with puss. The spread of the infection causes the
lymph nodes to become hard and painful.
The lymph nodes are heavily concentrated in the neck, armpits, and groin. When a person
becomes ill these areas will begin to swell because the body needs to make a vast amount
of white blood cells to fight off whatever pathogen has entered the body.
To make all parts of the body function properly the electron transport chain is needed.
Yersina pestis releases a toxin into the body that obstructs this function from
occurring.
Prevention and Treatment
Many preventive measures can be used to reduce the spread of the plague (sanitation,
killing of rats, prevention in transport of rats). Individuals who contract the disease
are isolated, fed fluids and put to bed. During World War II, scientists using sulfa
drugs were able to produce cures of plague.
Since it is a bacteria, the bubonic plague can be treated with antibiotics. Tetracyline,
Streptomycin, and Chloramphenicol are three of the antibiotics used to prevent plague.
Sometimes, they are even mixed together to form an antibiotic cocktail. The plague can
almost always be cured when it is recognized fast enough.
Since the late 19th century bubonic plague vaccinations have been in use. There is a
vaccine that can be taken in a six to month installment period, but there is a element of
risk to this vaccination. This vaccination has been proven to be ineffective with people
younger than eighteen and older than sixty. The side effects of this vaccination can
sometimes result in death and therefore it is not a good idea to use it.
Transmission
During the Middle Ages, people did not have a clue as to why the plague was spreading so
quickly. But now we know that the bubonic plague is spread by fleas. Yersina
Pestis(bacteria) moves its way up to the upper digestive tract of the flea where it
breeds and multiplies. The flea must find a new host and when it does the flea drinks its
blood and regurgitates the bacteria into the host. This also infects the host. Therefore,
the plague can be spread by any rodent or animal who could get fleas.
As soon as the bacteria is regurgitated into the new host, it begins to multiply in
lymphatic system and the blood stream. The bacteria attacks the whole body at once by
travelling to the spleen, liver, brain, lungs and kidneys.
IMPACT OF BUBONIC PLAGUE ON ENGLAND
How was the plague transmitted into England? There is much controversy concerning the
exact method by which the plague arrived in England. But it is certain that it arrived
via the ports, carried on merchant and Naval ships. However, were the infected fleas
carried by the rats in the grain or bales of cloth and cotton, or on the backs of the
crew, passengers or returning soldiers? Furthermore, how did the disease spread from the
ports to the town and country? Via wild rodents in the countryside, by the rats and fleas
in transported freight, or by the fleas on their human hosts?
Although the evidence is mixed and debatable, it is suggested they all played a role.
There is evidence to support that plague was caught from baggage and bales of clothes and
cloth, as in Eyam in Derbyshire in 1665. There is also existing evidence that human
transmission is solely responsible. The spread of the plague across the country was far
too rapid to be accounted for by wild rodents in the countryside, and it is human
transport which explains its movement along the major trade routes, usually by
ship(British port to port), or on main roads and navigable rivers. Nevertheless, it is
reasonable to assume that rodent transmission played a part in local village to village
contamination.
Affects of the bubonic plague
The bubonic plague struck England in 1665. Since, the occurrence of the plague was so
unexpected only 14th century preventive measures could be taken. The homeless people were
the first to feel the great effects of the plague. They did not have any money and so
when the plague struck them they were basically in a hopeless situation. Even the top
physicians were affected by the bubonic plague. Many doctors had to take care of the
plague victims and because the plague was contagious, the doctors also caught it. The
disease spread rapidly amongst family.
To try to prevent the outbreak of the plague the people began to burn fires in the
streets to keep the air clean. Fires were also struck in sickrooms to destroy the
clothing of deceased victims. They were also killing cats and dogs, because they were
believed to be the cause of infection.
Affect On Doctors
Most doctors, during the outbreak of the plague were afraid to visit the patients because
they did not want to risk the chance of themselves becoming infected by the disease. Many
doctors fled the medical houses, while others were accused of killing their patients for
money, or charging outrageous fees. The doctors believed that these accusations were
based on resentment.
The doctors also thought it was the rats tail which were the cause of the plague but they
still did not have solid preventive measures. The doctors even suggested that standing
over the latrine with an empty stomach and smelling it for hours was a good remedy to
cure the plague. 
Bibliography
Encarta Online