Keep a watchful eye on The Black Death

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One or the disease that concerns me the most is the Black Death. This is a truly horrible way to die. The “Black Death” was responsible for killing about 60% of the population of Eurasia in the mid-1300s. I have been discussing this topic on Wrong Planet on several threads for the past year.

Graphic image

The virus can cause a victim's limbs or body parts to become blackened hence why it was called the Black Death.

The Black Death is caused by bacteria called Yersinia pestis. It manifest in 3 ways: the bubonic plague, the septicemic plague and the pneumonic plague. These variants are primarily determined by the route the infection is transmitted by. The pneumonic plague is the most deadly form of the three because this variant is human-to-human transmission.

In general, the plague infection is treated with antibiotics and if caught early enough is not much of a problem. But the real danger is if the bacteria becomes resistant to all known forms of antibiotics. Then you have the possibility of a world wide pandemic that will make the current COVID-19 pandemic look like a walk through Disneyland.

From 1 August through 30 October 2017, a total of 1801 confirmed, probable and suspected cases of plague, including 127 deaths, have been reported by the Ministry of Health of Madagascar to the World Health Organization (WHO). Of these, 1111 (62%) were clinically classified as pneumonic plague, including 257 (23%) confirmed, 374 (34%) probable and 480 (43%) suspected cases. In addition to the pneumonic cases, 261 (15%) cases of bubonic plague, one case of septicaemic plague and 428 cases (24%) where the type has not yet been specified, have been reported.

In 1996, two drug-resistant strains of plague were isolated from Madagascar. One of these, was completely resistant to all the drugs that are used to control outbreaks.

So in order of a reoccurance of the Black Plague to materialize, it must be in pneumonic form and must be antibiotic resistent.

In 2019, several cases of the bubonic plague began to appear in Mongolia. The Chinese government immediately reacted by putting a travel ban in place from Madagascar. That is interesting. Maybe the Chinese were researching this bacterial threat and perhaps bringing back samples of the antibiotic resistant pheumonic plague for research. It is but a theory. But then again why this specific travel ban to Madagascar?

And the plague appears to be spreading. As of 28 August 2020, seventeen provinces in Mongolia (Inner Mongolia is an autonomous region of northern China) have now reported cases of the deadly bacteria. Due to its proximity on the border with China, there are increased concerns the deadly infectious disease may soon migrate across the Mongolia/Chinese border. Due to the outbreak, China placed a lockdown on the region in order to stop a catastrophic pandemic spreading throughout the country again.

More recently, a 3-year-old from Menghai county, located in southwestern China, suffered a mild infection of the plague. As a result the Chinese authorities in the region have started a level IV emergency response to prevent another epidemic.

This is an interesting YouTube video. It raises some interesting questions and observations.



Sources:
China bubonic plague spreads: 17 provinces now infected after alarming new cases
China: 3-year-old diagnosed with Bubonic plague; is 'Black Death' back? All you need to know

Last edited by Feyokien on 03 Oct 2020, 2:57 pm, edited 2 times in total.: Added spoil

Pedanticism here, but it's important people realize viruses and bacteria are different. Plague is caused by a bacteria not a virus.

I think an ultra resistant, high spreading black death is probably less likely than a high spreading highly deadly flu variant.

One silver lining to the Covid-19 pandemic is that society will be better prepared if a second more deadly pandemic strikes in our lifetime.

Covid-19 is 100 times more deadlier.

What are you talking about?

Most victims survive covid. Most victims die from the Black Death, or would die if it were to become antibiotic resistant.

I see the spoiler. But my question still stands. Covid has already spread, has no cure, and no vaccine yet.

Last edited by naturalplastic on 03 Oct 2020, 2:56 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Luckily, there is a vaccine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plague_vaccine

Well... it's more complex than that.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6379378/
The old vaccine is inefficient against the primary pneumonic plague. Wear the face mask!

And I am one of a handful of people who was vaccinated against the plague. But that was over 50 years ago and my antibodies have probably gone extinct. Be forewarned, this vaccine was the strongest vaccination that I ever received. The smallpox vaccination along with all the other vaccinations that I received over my lifetime were pinpricks in comparison to the plague shot. Within a couple minutes of receiving the vaccination, it almost knocked me to the ground. And that was when I was a healthy young man.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6379378/

Other vaccines are under development.

The Pestis bacteria is almost never fatal anymore and is easily treated with anti-biotics.There are a few cases a year in central Asia and the four corners region of the US and no one dies.

The concern is if you got an ultra-resistant, high-spreading strain. It's possible, but unlikely IMO. I'm more worried about a deadly flu variant arising.

Or anthrax. That's a nasty one, too, and it is basically as lethal as pneumonic plague if the anthrax spores are inhaled...

Hey, wait a minute!

I guess you're unfamiliar with sarcasm.

One of the anomalies is that with the number of cases reported in Mongolia (northern China) and then suddenly appears in southern China what is the mode of transmission. Does it make sense that it was from rats? Rats do not migrate very far. Didn't get onto a plane. So is this a sign that the pneumonic plague human-to-human transmission is underway?

. My point was (a) you got me cause I didnt notice your spoiler tag until after I wrote, but (b) but I still didnt delete what I wrote even after I saw it because your spoiler tag still didnt elevate your post to the level of making much sense- it was lame sarcasm.

Last edited by naturalplastic on 04 Oct 2020, 4:17 am, edited 2 times in total.

!	magz wrote:
	Please, refrain from comments ad personam and try to be considerate.

First time I used the spoiler feature and it went wrong.

Dont feel bad.

You will get it right with practice.