Plague (Yersinia pestis)

 

 


method of delivery: primarily through fleas in nature (Xenopsylla cheopis, oriental rat flea, shown below), but can be delivered in pure bacterial form on any medium, as Y. pestis is very robust and airborne



Picture of male oriental rat flea engorged with bloodsource: http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/plague/cheob6x4.htm

 

 

symptoms of exposure: fever, headache, weakness, rapidly developing pneumonia, shortness of breath, chest pain, cough, watery sputum

 

 

incubation period: 1-6 days

 

 

effects: respiratory failure, shock, hemorrhage, death

 

 

structure: small, short, rounded rod-like bacteria

 

plaguesource: http://www.arches.uga.edu/~jhyoung/plague.html

 

 

references:

o       http://www.bt.cdc.gov/Agent/Plague/FactSheet.pdf

o       http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/plague/cheob6x4.htm

o       http://www.emedicine.com/EMERG/topic428.htm

o       http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/bioterror/agen_plague.html