Russia Plague Scare: A suspected pneumonic plague case in Russia’s Irkutsk region has sparked health concerns after a 28-year-old anti-plague institute worker died following severe pneumonia, with nearly 200 people placed under medical observation. However, health officials have not confirmed that plague was the cause of the death. The World Health Organisation says plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Though it can be serious, early detection and treatment with antibiotics can help. Here is everything you need to know.
What Is Pneumonic Plague?
Pneumonic plague is the lung-based form of plague caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. WHO describes it as the most virulent form of plague. It can develop when plague bacteria spread to the lungs from another form of the infection, or through inhalation of infectious respiratory particles. Unlike bubonic plague, which mainly affects the lymph nodes, pneumonic plague directly affects the respiratory system and can progress rapidly if it is not treated.
What Causes Plague and How Does It Enter the Human Body?
Plague is a zoonotic bacterial infection, meaning it normally circulates among animals and can pass to humans. WHO says Y. pestis is usually found in small mammals and their fleas. Humans can become infected through several routes:
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- Bite of an infected flea
- Direct contact with infected animal tissues or bodily fluids
- Inhalation of infectious respiratory particles from a person with pneumonic plague
The route of infection can influence which form of plague develops. Bubonic plague is most commonly associated with infected flea bites, while pneumonic plague is particularly important from a public-health perspective because it can be transmitted through respiratory particles.
How Does Pneumonic Plague Spread From Person to Person?
A person with pneumonic plague can release infectious respiratory particles when coughing or breathing. People in close contact with an infected patient can therefore be exposed. WHO describes pneumonic plague as especially contagious and capable of causing severe epidemics if cases are not identified and controlled quickly. This is also why suspected cases can lead to isolation, contact tracing and medical observation before laboratory confirmation is complete. However, being in the same country or region as a suspected case does not mean a person has been infected. The major concern for person-to-person transmission is close exposure to someone who actually has pneumonic plague.
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