Yersinia pestis infection history and symptoms

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Assistant Editors-In-Chief: Esther Lee, M.A.

Overview

The typical sign of the most common form of human plague is a swollen and very tender lymph gland, accompanied by pain. The swollen gland is called a "bubo." Bubonic plague should be suspected when a person develops a swollen gland, fever, chills, headache, and extreme exhaustion, and has a history of possible exposure to infected rodents, rabbits, or fleas. A person usually becomes ill with bubonic plague 2 to 6 days after being infected.

When bubonic plague is left untreated, plague bacteria invade the bloodstream. As the plague bacteria multiply in the bloodstream, they spread rapidly throughout the body and cause a severe and often fatal condition. Infection of the lungs with the plague bacterium causes the pneumonic form of plague, a severe respiratory illness. The infected person may experience high fever, chills, cough, and breathing difficulty and may expel bloody sputum. If plague patients are not given specific antibiotic therapy, the disease can progress rapidly to death. About 14% (1 in 7) of all plague cases in the United States are fatal.

History and Symptoms

Symptoms

Bubonic plague

• Incubation period of 2–6 days, when the bacteria is actively replicating.
• Universally a general lack of energy
• Fever
• Headache and chills occur suddenly at the end of the incubation period
• Swelling of lymph nodes resulting in buboes, the classic sign of bubonic plague. The [Superficial inguinal lymph nodes|inguinal nodes]] are most frequently affected ("boubon" is Greek for "groin.")

Septicemic plague

• Hypotension
• Hepatosplenomegaly
• Delirium
• Seizures in children
• Shock
• Universally a general lack of energy
• Fever
• Symptoms of bubonic or pneumonic plague are not always present

Note: Patient may die before any symptoms appear

Pneumonic plague (Spread person to person)

• Fever
• Chills
• Coughing
• Chest pain
• Dyspnea
• Hemoptysis
• Lethargy
• Hypotension
• Shock
• Symptoms of bubonic or septicemic plague are not always present

References

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