Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Pneumonic Plague: Should We Worry?

From Live Science:

An outbreak of pneumonic plague in Ziketan, China has killed three people, leading officials to seal off the town, according to news reports that are getting a lot of play this week.

But what is the pneumonic plague, and how is it different from other types of plague?

Plague is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis and is a zoonotic disease, meaning it can be transmitted from animals (usually rodents) to people.

There are three types of plague. The bubonic plague is the most common form and is spread to people from flea bites. This type is thought to be responsible for the Black Death, the pandemic that killed millions of people in the 1300s.

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