[The plague: An overview and hot topics]

Area of Science:

• Medical Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Plague is a bacterial zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, primarily affecting rodents and transmitted by fleas.
• It manifests in three clinical forms: bubonic, pulmonary, and septicemic, with varying and often high fatality rates.
• Yersinia pestis is a Gram-negative bacterium, posing a significant public health threat, especially in endemic regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of plague, including its causative agent, transmission, clinical manifestations, and diagnosis.
• To discuss current treatment recommendations and highlight the re-emerging nature of the disease.
• To emphasize the importance of public health interventions and socioeconomic factors in plague control.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on Yersinia pestis and plague.
• Analysis of clinical presentations and diagnostic techniques.
• Examination of epidemiological data and public health strategies.

Main Results:

• Plague is transmitted via flea bites, rodent contact, or inhalation, with an incubation period of 1-7 days.
• Bubonic plague has a 50% fatality rate without treatment; other forms are nearly always fatal.
• Diagnosis involves bacteriological, serological, rapid diagnostic tests, and PCR; treatment has evolved with fluoroquinolones and cyclins recommended.

Conclusions:

• Plague remains a significant re-emerging infectious disease, as evidenced by the 2017 epidemic in Madagascar.
• Effective control requires integrated public health measures, poverty alleviation, and improved vaccines for endemic areas.
• Peru and the Democratic Republic of Congo are identified as endemic regions requiring ongoing surveillance and intervention.