Third plague pandemic

The Third plague pandemic (pronounced: third pleyg pandemik) is a major bubonic plague pandemic that began in Yunnan, China, in 1855 during the Qing dynasty. This pandemic spread to all inhabited continents, and ultimately led to more than 12 million deaths in India and China alone.

Etymology

The term "pandemic" originates from the Greek words pan meaning "all" and demos meaning "people". The term "plague" is derived from the Latin plaga meaning "stroke" or "wound".

History

The Third plague pandemic was the third major outbreak of the bubonic plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. The pandemic began in the Chinese province of Yunnan in 1855 and spread across the globe over the next several decades. The pandemic was considered active until 1960, when worldwide casualties dropped to 200 per year.

Symptoms

The symptoms of the bubonic plague during the Third plague pandemic included sudden onset of fever, chills, head and body aches, and weakness, vomiting and nausea. A key symptom was the appearance of swollen and painful lymph nodes, known as buboes.

Transmission

The Third plague pandemic was primarily transmitted through the bite of infected fleas that infested rats. The bacterium Yersinia pestis would multiply inside the flea, blocking its stomach and causing it to voraciously bite a host for blood. When the flea regurgitated blood back into the host's bite site, the bacteria were passed into the bloodstream.

Prevention and Treatment

Prevention during the Third plague pandemic involved improving sanitation and exterminating rat populations. The discovery of the plague bacillus by Alexandre Yersin in 1894 led to the development of a vaccine by Waldemar Haffkine in 1897. Antibiotics such as streptomycin, gentamicin, and doxycycline are now used to treat the disease.

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Third plague pandemic
Wikipedia's article - Third plague pandemic

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Third plague pandemic