The Bubonic Plague!

ByErik TyeAnd Colton Martin

Explanation of the Bubonic Plague

• The Bubonic Plague or “The Black Death” was a fatal disease spread by fleas, which lived on rats and humans at this time.

• It was a pandemic. (Spread world wide)

• It produces black blotches on the skin, hence the name “The Black Plague.’

Scientific and the common Scientific and the common name of the Bubonic Plaguename of the Bubonic Plague

• ““Yersinia pestis”Yersinia pestis” is the scientific is the scientific name for the bubonic plague.name for the bubonic plague.

• ““The Black Plague” is the common The Black Plague” is the common name for this organism. name for this organism.

The AnatomyThe Anatomy

Yersinia pestisYersinia pestis, the deadly bacterium that , the deadly bacterium that causes bubonic plague, kills by cutting off a causes bubonic plague, kills by cutting off a cell's ability to communicate with other cell's ability to communicate with other immune cells needed to fight off the bacterial immune cells needed to fight off the bacterial invasion. invasion.

YopJ, the protein Yersinia uses to block this YopJ, the protein Yersinia uses to block this signaling process, is one of six proteins signaling process, is one of six proteins injected by the bacteria into immune cells injected by the bacteria into immune cells called macrophages.called macrophages.

The Arrival!The Arrival!

• It arrived in October of 1347.It arrived in October of 1347.

• It started in Asia, then traveled to It started in Asia, then traveled to Europe, by rat infested Italian ships Europe, by rat infested Italian ships trading goods across the trading goods across the Mediterranean Sea.Mediterranean Sea.

.

• It started in Asia’s Gobi desert

• Then it took very little time to reach Europe

When, Where, and Whom was it When, Where, and Whom was it isolatedisolated

• The year was 1346, the Black Plague entered the Crimean shore of the Black sea.

• Sailors aboard the Italian vessel was infected or already dying from the plague.

SymptomsSymptoms

A painful bulging welt would appear, A painful bulging welt would appear, if bitten by an infected rat or flea.if bitten by an infected rat or flea.

More painful welts would appear More painful welts would appear within 3 days, these welts were so within 3 days, these welts were so painful that people would die within 4 painful that people would die within 4 days of the infection.days of the infection.

Black spots would appear also.Black spots would appear also.

TransmittedTransmitted

Fleas and ratsFleas and rats Humans that were infectedHumans that were infected Once a flea is on the host, it begins Once a flea is on the host, it begins

to feeds on the host’s blood. The flea to feeds on the host’s blood. The flea eats continuously until the blood eats continuously until the blood can’t travel to the blocked stomach. can’t travel to the blocked stomach. Then the flea vomits, and spits the Then the flea vomits, and spits the tainted blood back to the host. tainted blood back to the host.

Life CycleLife Cycle

Effect on society

Europes population

01020304050607080

1000 1100 1200 1300 1347 1352 Years

In Millions

Cure or Prevention?

• Back in the 1300s, there was no cure and not so much of a prevention available.

• The only prevention then was to stay away from anyone and everyone that was infected.

• Kill all the rats and fleas in your town before the plague came.

Other FactsOther Facts

On April 19, 2006 CNN news and others On April 19, 2006 CNN news and others reported a case of the plague in Los reported a case of the plague in Los Angeles, it was the first case since 1984.Angeles, it was the first case since 1984.

On June 28, 2006, AZ Central had On June 28, 2006, AZ Central had reported a case of the plague in a cat.reported a case of the plague in a cat.

In New Mexico, there were 2 plague In New Mexico, there were 2 plague deaths in 2006. the first fatalities in 12 deaths in 2006. the first fatalities in 12 years.years.