Common Name: Plague

Scientific Name: Yersinia pestis

General Overview: Historically, plague has been recognized for the epidemics of mass human casualties it has inflicted.  Today, it is still prevalent in various areas throughout the world (not US).

Spread by fleas, plague manifests itself in two main forms: pneumonic and bubonic.  Pneumonic plague occurs from breathing infected air; bubonic plague occurs through skin transmission of the disease (e.g. - flea bite).  Bubonic plague is characterized by extremely painful and swollen lymph nodes called buboes.  Person-to-person transmission of plague can occur but only in the pneumonic form.  Although the bubonic form can't be spread to another person, if it spreads to the lungs it can result in a secondary case of pneumonic plague.  In any case of pneumonic plague, death usually occurs without early treatment.