Plague

The plague is a life threatening condition that requires urgent care. If caught and treated early, it’s a treatable disease using antibiotics that are commonly available.

With no treatment, bubonic plague can multiply in the bloodstream (causing septicemic plague) or in the lungs (causing pneumonic plague). Death can occur within 24 hours after the appearance of the first symptom.

Treatment usually involves:

Strong and effective antibiotics such as gentamicin or ciprofloxacin, intravenous fluids, oxygen, and, sometimes, breathing support.

Those with pneumonic plague must be isolated from other patients in order to avoid transmission.

Treatment will continue for several weeks even after your fever breaks.

Those in contact with someone with plague will be closely monitored, and possibly given antibiotics as a preventative measure.

If your doctor suspects you may have the plague, they’ll check for the presence of the bacteria in your body:

A blood test can indicate whether you have septicemic plague.

To check for bubonic plague, your doctor will use a needle to take a sample of the fluid in your swollen lymph nodes.

To check for pneumonic plague, doctors will either take a blood sample or sample from the swollen lymph node and send it for laboratory testing.

The samples will be sent to a laboratory for analysis. Preliminary results may be ready in just 2 hours, but confirmatory testing takes 24 to 48 hours.

If the plague is suspected, your doctor will still begin treatment with antibiotics even before the diagnosis is confirmed. This is because the plague progresses rapidly, and being treated early can make a big difference in your recovery.