Is It Time For You To Worry?

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The pneumonic plague, known more often as the black plague, claimed the life of a Northern Arizona resident, health officials said on Friday. It marks the first U.S. death from the plague since 2007.

But is it time for you to worry? Not particularly. But there are some warning signs to be aware of.

The pneumonic plague is one of three forms of plague, the other two being septicemic plague and bubonic plague. Left untreated, it is almost always fatal, and the illness became infamous when it was hypothesized to be responsible for the Black Death, which resulted in approximately 75 – 200 million deaths in the 1300s.

But the current version of the plague is treatable if caught early. Symptoms of the pneumonic plague symptoms include sudden onset of fever, chills, headache, and weakness, which is often followed immediately by pneumonia with shortness of breath, chest pain, and cough. The disease is typically carried and transmitted through respiratory droplets from infected humans or animals.

If you suspect you might have the plague, visit a doctor immediately. The good news, however, is that modern medicine has made the disease very treatable if caught early.

The Center for Disease Control states that those who believe they might have the plague should  “begin appropriate therapy as soon as plague is suspected. (Antibiotics) Gentamicin and fluoroquinolones are first-line treatments in the United States. Duration of treatment is 10 to 14 days, but treatment can be extended for patients with ongoing fever or other concerning signs. Patients can be treated with intravenous or oral antimicrobials, depending on severity of illness and other clinical factors.”