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What is pneumonic plague?
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Plague is an infectious disease that affects
animals and humans. It is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This
bacterium is found in rodents and their fleas.
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Where is pneumonic plague found?
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Pneumonic plague occurs all over the world,
including the United States.
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What are the symptoms of pneumonic plague?
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The symptoms of pneumonic plague include:
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Fever
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Headache
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Weakness
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Rapidly developing pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain,
cough and sometimes bloody or watery mucus from the lungs
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How is pneumonic plague spread?
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Pneumonic plague can be spread from person to
person or animal to person through close contact through the air.
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If I’ve been exposed to pneumonic plague, how
long will it take for symptoms to develop?
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The initial symptoms of pneumonic plague can
occur between one and three days after exposure.
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What treatments are available for pneumonic
plague? How serious is the disease?
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Early treatment of pneumonic plague is essential.
To reduce the chance of death, antibiotics must be given within 24 hours
of first symptoms. The disease is very serious and if it is not treated
early, the mortality rate is close to 100 percent.
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Where can I get more information on pneumonic
plague?
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For more information online, you can visit the
Centers for Disease Control at
http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/plague/factsheet.asp
Or, for more information, please call the Health
Department at 859.363.2070.
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