Bubonic Plague (black death)

The Bubonic Plague was a humongous disaster.  It raged through part of Asia and most of Europe from the early 1300's to the beginning 1600's.  Nearly 25 million people died after five years of the bubonic plague.  That is about one-third of Europe's population!  Only during the winter the disease seemed to subside.  During the spring season the plague attacked new victims, stronger than ever.  Some of the most common symptoms are very severe headaches, chills, muscle pains, and general ill feelings.  The main causes of infections to humans was a flea bite or a bite from a rodent such as a rat.  For early symptoms to develop, it usually took two-ten days.  The main cause of the bubonic plague in Europe was very bad hygiene!  The medieval streets were littered with dinner scraps, and body waste.      The fleas "picked up" the disease.  They then bite the rats who then become infected with this non-viral disease.  It would either be the rat or the flea that bites the human so he/she becomes infected.  Usually the survivors were permanently disfigured, mainly in the face. In the United States today and most places around the world, the plague is still alive.  In the U.S.A in the year 2006, there was 13 human cases of the plague.  That was the most cases since 1994!  There is still no known cure for this terrible disease today.  People prevent getting the disease by taking vaccinations.  People already infected fight the disease by large doses of  antibiotics.  A  2001 news article states that British scientists had deciphered the genetic blueprints for the bubonic plague.  This tragic disease is still considered a biological weapon to most modern-day terrorists.  This new gene map may lead to vaccines and  drugs that may be able to keep the horrendous disease in check. It could even neutralize it's use as a weapon of mass destruction.

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