Yersinia pestis is a bacterium that can be transmitted to humans through infected flea bites or rodents and is responsible for bubonic plague, also known as black plague. This disease is serious and often fatal if not treated immediately, being the leading cause of death for more than 30% of the European population in the 14th century.
Treatment of infection by this bacteria should be done as soon as the first symptoms appear and the infectious disease specialist or family doctor recommends the use of antibiotics.
- Fleas feed on blood.
- Especially rodents.
- If rodents are infected.
- When the animal is parasitized.
- The flea also acquires this bacteria.
- When the rodent dies.
- The infected flea looks for other bodies to continue feeding on blood.
- Therefore.
- It can infect other rodents and other animals.
- Such as cats or humans.
- By bites.
Each flea can remain infected for months and infect more people and more animals. The first symptoms of infection appear two to six days after infection. See what the main symptoms of infection are.
Transmission of this bacteria to humans can occur in several ways, such as:
The least common mode of transmission is vomiting, sneezing and coughing, in which droplets disperse in the air and can spread this bacteria among the population, so it is important that the treatment is done in isolation.
Treatment of Yersinia pestis infection should be started shortly after the onset of the first symptoms, as it can cause death in less than 24 hours. Symptoms include water swelling, fever, severe headache and excessive fatigue, which occur in areas where the disease has occurred or after a flea bite, for example.
Treatment is usually always done in the hospital, in an isolation unit, with antibiotics directly in the vein and prescribed by a doctor who specializes in infectious diseases. The most effective antibiotics are:
Once symptoms and fever have stabilized, the infected person usually returns home and continues to use the antibiotic for up to 10 days, even if he stops showing symptoms.
Prevention of this infection can be done based on the control of rodents and pests and the use of repellents to prevent flea bites, since the bacteria responsible for the pest mainly infect rats, mice and squirrels, which are the main hosts of fleas. . It is also important to use protective equipment when handling blood, secretions and tissues from potentially infected animals.
People traveling to endemic areas at risk of exposure to the bacteria may take preventive doses of tetracycline.