ScienceToday

Bubonic plague.

Probably the most severe disease that spread across the world in the 14th century, the bubonic plague, killed more than 75 million people worldwide, at a time where there were only 360 million people living on Earth.

This epidemic brought civilization to its knees, resulting in corpses piled in the streets in areas like Europe and Asia, as it killed almost one-third of the world’s population. Moreover, this deadly disease was a very painful one, killing its ‘host’ in just a few days.

Bubonic plague, or also known as the Black Death is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis, usually found in rodents, such as rats, mice, squirrels, and even cats. The virus spreads very rapidly with the help of fleas. When these bugs bite an infected animal, they transport the virus to the next, and so on. The disease is highly contagious, so you can also contract it from getting in contact with other infected individuals or animals.

As evidence has shown, bubonic plague becomes even more dangerous when it transmits from one individual to another, just like it happened in the 14th century. The symptoms indicating this disease are usually fever, weakness, chills, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, and swollen lymph nodes. Even though we’ve managed to find a lot more about the bubonic plague than people knew at that time, it’s still a deadly disease if not treated properly.

Even though it hit the world in the 1300s, the plague was originated in Asia over 2,000 years ago, and some studies even prove that it existed in Europe 3000 years B.C. The bacteria spread by trading ships, from China to India, Persia, Syria, and Egypt, followed by Italy and later to Russia.

But even though this bacteria still exist today, and there are a few confirmed cases of infection each year, it can be kept under control and cured with proper treatment. According to Dr. Shanthi Kappagoda, an infectious disease physician at Stanford Health Care, “Unlike in the 14th century, we now have an understanding of how this disease is transmitted.”

“We know how to prevent it — avoid handling sick or dead animals in areas where there is transmission,” she added. “We are also able to treat patients who are infected with effective antibiotics, and can give antibiotics to people who may have been exposed to the bacteria [and] prevent them [from] getting sick.”

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