The history of the plague and the research on the causative agent. Epidemiological observations and historical records led to the hypothesis that biovar antiqua, resident in africa, is descended from bacteria that caused the first pandemic whereas medievalis, resident in central asia, is descended from the bacteria that caused. How small genetic change in yersinia pestis changed human. How to understand a plague five books of science and history that. Unequivocal evidence for its early existence comes from the discovery of. Traces of the plague go as far back as to ancient times and specifically 5th century bc athens. Plague is a vectorborne disease caused by yersinia pestis. Essays on yersinia pestis insects, disease, and histroy. This emedtv web page discusses this organism in detail, including transmission methods, and offers statistics about how often human infections typically occur. They are also are believed to be the cause of the great plague. Humans are usually infected through bites from rodent fleas that carry the disease. The causative agent behind the plague is a bacterium by the name of yersinia pestis. This microbe lives and multiplies inside rodents like rats, squirrels, and mice. Ancient origins articles related to yersinia pestis in the sections of history, archaeology, human origins, unexplained, artifacts, ancient places and myths and legends.
How yersinia pestis evolved to kill millions as pneumonic. The history of the plague and the research on the causative agent yersinia pestis. The effects of the plague are described in the nursery rhyme we all fall down. High fever would precede the appearance of buboes, a painful swelling of the lymph glands, especially in the armpit, neck and groin. Yersina pestis has caused many epidemics in modern history. These three forms of the plague have been responsible for a high death toll, in many epidemics throughout human. See more ideas about microbiology, bubonic plague and black death. High fever would precede the appearance of buboes, a painful swelling of the lymph glands, especially in.
Yersinia pestis, the history of the plague and adaptation. Yersinia pestis is the etiologic agent of plague and has caused multiple pandemics, despite being a recently evolved pathogen. The pandemic known to history as the black death was one of the worlds worst natural disasters in history. Yersinia pestis is the bacteria that causes plague, one of the deadliest diseases in human history. Yersinia pestis is a gram negative, rodshaped, facultative anaerobic bacterium, known for causing the plague. The plague is an infectious bacterial disease having a high fatality rate without treatment. This infection can also cause variants of bubonic plague. It is in the select agent program and cdc bioterrorism agentsdisease list, considered a likely choice for a bioweapon, as it is very easy to spread and is resistant to multiple drugs. Yersinia pestis as a biological weapon insects, disease. Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that causes bubonic plague, can survive within the ubiquitous soil protozoan, the amoeba, by producing proteins that protect against the. How small genetic change in yersinia pestis changed human history.
The three great pandemics john frith plague is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacillus yersinia pestis and is still endemic in indigenous rodent populations of south and north america, africa and central asia. Yersinia pestis, a bacterium transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite of infected fleas. It was the disease behind the black death of the 14th century, when as much as onethird of additional information. Referring to specific clinical symptoms of pulmonary plague the disease became known as the black death. Kitasato bacillus, pasteurella pestis, plague bacillus yersinia pestis yersinea pes. This book is distributed under the terms of the creative commons. Many of the death toll numbers listed above are best estimates based on available research. Visit the elsevier store to access books on infectious diseases, microbiology, virology and more. The gramnegative bacterium yersinia pestis preyed heavily on rodents, the fleas from which would transmit the disease to people, the infection then rapidly spreading to others. Jun 30, 2015 while studying yersinia pestis, the bacteria responsible for epidemics of plague such as the black death, wyndham lathem, ph.
Some, such as the plague of justinian and swine flu, are subject to debate based on new evidence despite the persistence of disease and pandemics throughout history, theres one consistent trend over time a gradual reduction in the death rate. The 2 nd edition of the 3 volume set, molecular medical microbiology is the first book to synthesise the many new developments in both molecular and clinical research in. Yersinia pestis is a gramnegative bacterium that causes plague, a highly contagious and lethal disease and the cause of three disease pandemics throughout human history. It was the disease behind the black death of the 14th century, when as much as onethird of black death role. It is a zoonotic disease and exists in natural cycles involving transmission between rodent hosts and flea vectors. Safety and health topics plague plague as a bioweapon. Plague, infectious fever caused by yersinia pestis, a bacterium transmitted from rodents to humans by the bite of infected fleas. Yersinia pestis is a rod shaped gramnegative bacteria that can also have a spherical shape. Sentinel laboratory guidelines for suspected agents of. The bacteria that causes the bubonic plague which in the year 541 as the black death and later in the middle ages decimated europe.
Greywhite translucent colonies in 24 h on blood agar ba and chocolate agar ca at ambient and 3537. This paper discusses the natural history of the bacterium and its evolution into a fleavectored bacterium able to transmit bubonic plague. This article analyses whether terrorist groups will emulate these national biological warfare programs and thus will seek to develop weapons armed with y. All three forms have been responsible for highmortality epidemics throughout human history, including the plague of justinian in the sixth century. Yersinia pestis are bacteria often found in rats and other animals, and can cause plague. Genome and evolution of yersinia pestis springerlink. It was a critical time for many as the plague hit europe and devastated the western world from 47 to.
Yersinia pestis is the cause of plague, an illness that may manifest in bubonic, pneumonic, or septicemic form. Yersinia pestis, a problem of the past and a reemerging. Yersinia pestis, the cause of plague, is a recently emerged. Plague is an ancient disease that was described during classical times as occurring in north africa and the middle east. It is sometimes presumed to be the disease behind several historic epidemics, such as the pestilence described as striking the philistines in the biblical book of 1 samuel. Many big events in early centuries caused by yersinia pestis have impacted our race. This exercise demonstrated the reason why the us chose not to use plague as a biological weapon. C 12 mm colonies in 48 h that may be opaque and yellow fried egg or hammered copper appearance on ba in older cultures. Comments on discussion boards from them will be hidden by default. Plague is an ancient, serious, infectious disease which is still endemic in regions of the modern world and is a potential biothreat agent. University of pittsburgh the understanding of plague really began during the chinese and indian epidemics in the latter decade of the nineteenth century.
Five books of science and history that cast light on covid19. One to six days after becoming infected with the bacteria, people would develop pneumonic plague. Yersinia pestis, the history of the plague and adaptation to animal. Humans can be infected either through the bite of a flea which has taken a blood meal from an infected rodent or through contaminated aerosolized droplets. It has occurred in three huge pandemics since the 6 th century with millions of deaths and numerous smaller epidemics and sporadic cases. Biology, history, and sociology at montana state university.
It is also covered by a slime envelope that is heat labile. During the chinese epidemic, shibasaburo kitasato 18521931 and andre yersin 18631943, independently identified the cause of the plague, but. Niaidsupported investigators sequenced the genome of the strain of yersinia pestis that was associated with the second pandemic of plague, including the black death. Retrospective and perspective advances in experimental medicine and biology. The history of the plague and the research on the causative. The bubonic plague, or black death, is caused by a rodshaped bacteria called yersinia pestis. Once people have the disease, the bacteria can spread to. In epidemics plague is transmitted to humans by the bite of the. Three major plague pandemics the justinian plague, the black death and the modern plague have been recorded. The history of plague and the population structure of y. Terms in this set 20 what kind of staining is shown with y. Each caused massive fatalities and has become defining events in the time periods in places that were affected. In a new book published last month, sloane paints a revised picture of.
It has been identified as the infectious agent of bubonic plague. It was first isolated in 1894 by alexandre yersin, who proudly named one of the deadliest pathogens after himself a bit of a dubious honor. Plague has earned a place in history books as the black death of medieval. Yersinia pestis simple english wikipedia, the free.
Essays on yersinia pestis the plague these essays were written by graduate students who took the special topics course, plague. Biology, history, and sociology at montana state university during spring semester 2005. It causes the disease plague, which takes three main forms. These three forms of the plague have been responsible for a high death toll in many epidemics throughout human history. Comments on discussion boards from them will be hidden by defa. This article emphasises the evidence against cohns assertions. The natural history and incidence of yersinia pestis and. Microevolution and history of the plague bacillus, yersinia. A bacterial species that causes plague in humans, rodents, cats, and many other mammals. Plague bacillus yersinia pestis essay 64 words bartleby. Yersinia pestis used in an aerosol attack could cause cases of pneumonic plague.
Plague was the cause of some of the mostdevastating epidemics in history. It has been present in many other periods of time as well prior to modern history. Bubonic and pneumonic plagues have in the past been weaponized by japan and ussr. Yersinia pestis definition of yersinia pestis by medical. This page of the emedtv web site offers related statistics and discusses symptoms of infection, transmission methods, treatment options, and preventive measures. In more recent history, pandemic plague began in china in. These diseases are believed to be the cause of the black death. Topics covered include the history, epidemiology, physiology. It is a facultative anaerobic organism that can infect humans via the oriental rat flea. The bacteria elaborate a lipopolysaccharide endotoxin, coagulase, and a fibrinolysin, which are the principal factors in the pathogenesis of this. Yersinia pestis, biological warfare, and bioterrorism.
Jan 12, 2015 bacteria project for medical microbiology. During the chinese epidemic, shibasaburo kitasato 18521931 and andre yersin 18631943, independently. Humans can be considered accidental victims when they are bitten by rodent fleas or handle animal tissues or, rarely, inhale airborne bacteria from coughing patients or from infected animals. The association of historical plague pandemics with yersinia pestis remains controversial, partly because the evolutionary history of this largely monomorphic bacterium was unknown. It can spread to humans through infected flea bites, contaminated objects, or inhaling aerosolized bacteria. Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague, a zoonotic disease transmitted to humans through flea bites and typically characterized by the appearance of a tender and swollen lymph node, the. Yersinia pestis formerly pasteurella pestis is a gramnegative, nonmotile, rodshaped, coccobacillus bacterium, with no spores.
This will provide a valuable research resource to scientists for identifying new targets for vaccines, drugs, and diagnostics for this deadly pathogen. Alexandre yersin first discovered yersinia pestis in 1894 at the pasteur institute, while a plague occurred in hong kong, cause by this y. Plague yersinia pestis is a nonmotile, nonsporeforming, pleomorphic, gramnegative, facultative anaerobic, bipolarstaining bacillus bacterium belonging to the family enterobacteriaceae. Jul 09, 2008 yersinia pestis medical guide guides, qontro medical on. Life history yersinia pestis is the causative agent of the systemic invasive infectious disease often referred to as the plague. Yersinia pestis has been apart of human history more than we relize. This chapter summarizes researches on genome and evolution features of yersinia pestis, the young pathogen that evolved from y. Yersinia pestis has long been considered a possible biological warfare agent, and was used, with a flea vector, in china by japanese forces in the second world war. Plague is an acute infectious disease caused by the bacillus yersinia pestis and. While new weapons were being designed by the us military. For russia and japan, on the other hand, it was the inability to control y.
Fleas are the prime vectors carrying the bacteria from one species. F1 is only fully expressed at 37 c, which is the normal. In the middle ages, it was estimated to have killed up to 40% of the european population. Plague bacteria take refuge in amoebae sciencedaily. This will provide a valuable research resource to scientists for identifying new targets for vaccines. Yersinia pestis can cause any of three diseases bubonic plague, pneumonic plague, and septicemic plague.
Blake calcei yersinia pestis, is most notable for its devastating role in plagues of the past. It was a critical time for many as the plague hit europe and devastated the western world from 47 to 51, killing 25%50% of europes population and causing or accelerating marked political, economic, social, and cultural. These three forms of the plague have been responsible for a high death toll, in many epidemics throughout human history. The controversy as to whether the great plagues were caused by yersinia pestis following samuel k. This will prevent yersinia from sending you messages, friend request or from viewing your profile. Comparative genomic analysis revealed that genome of y.
The flea becomes infected with bacteria by feeding on a rodent infected with y. Yersinia pestis back new york state department of health. Yersinia pestis is the etiological agent for the plague, and y. This bacterium also causes other forms of plague septicemic plague and pneumonic plague. In more recent history, pandemic plague began in china in the 1860s. While studying yersinia pestis, the bacteria responsible for epidemics of plague such as the black death, wyndham lathem, ph. Yersinia pestis bacteria can cause plague, which is an acute, infectious disease. Yersinia pestis medical guide paperback july 9, 2008 by qontro medical guides author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions. From the pestilence in london in 1665 to the spanish flu and beyond. Yersinia pestis a bacterial species causing plague in humans, rodents, and many other mammalian species and transmitted from rat to rat and from rat to humans by the rat flea, xenopsylla. Plague is a zoonotic infection with its reservoirs in rodents and other animals. It is a facultative anaerobic organism that can infect humans via the oriental rat flea xenopsylla cheopis. Yersinia pestis, the history of the plague and adaptation to. When the bacteria is in a host, it is nonmotile incapable of selfpropelled movement, but when isolated it is motile 1.
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