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So, how do we prevent contracting the plague? First and foremost, wash your hands. That won't help you if you're bit by a flea, but I feel like more people should wash their hands to prevent other things. Anyways, prevention could start with rodent proofing your home, yard, etc. That could mean removing brush/areas where they are likely to take over. Treating your pets for fleas and ticks is also a huge prevention factor. If you are going to be handling any type of animal that is deceased or even wild, you should wear gloves. Try different insect repellents. These aren't sure proof ways in preventing contraction of the plague, but that is a good start.

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Luckily, we have advanced in the biology/medical/disease fields and there are treatments readily available to those who contract the Yersinia pestis. We have come a very long way since relying solely on natural apothecaries, blood letting, and other medieval approaches to disease. Although the plague is still very serious and can be fatal if not treated timely, modern antibiotics are available to treat the disease. Different antibiotics such as: Gentamicin, fluoroquinolones, streptomycin, etc. These can be administered intramuscularly or intravenous to be most effective. It is important to seek treatment if any of the symptoms are present, because the earlier the better.

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Plague is caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis. The bacteria circulate in populations of small animals and their fleas.

In the western United States, these animals include:

Rats, mice and voles.

Squirrels.

Rabbits.

Prairie dogs.

Ground squirrels and chipmunks.

Other animals can get plague by eating small animals with the disease or picking up their fleas. These may include:

Pet cats and dogs.

Coyotes.

Wild cats.

(Mayo Clinic)

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So, who gets the plague? Has it been eradicated? There are still 1,000-3,000 cases of the Bubonic Plague reported worldwide according to the WHO. Those who are bit by an infected flea are at risk for contracting this disease. Majority of cases in America are reported in the rural, Western portion of the United States, while the majority of cases in the world are in Africa and Asia. Transmission can also happen when handling parts of a deceased animal that may have died from the disease as well. So, when thinking about the "plague," it is important to note that this is still being contracted and wasn't just some huge event hundreds of years ago that doesn't happen anymore.

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It is important to note that Yersinia pestis can be contracted more than one way. The more "popular" route would be transmission via flea bit, or the Bubonic Plague. The typical symptoms of this are: swollen lymph nodes, a high fever suddenly, malaise, chills, weak, tiredness, muscle aches, and sometimes actual sores. If the pathogen enters the blood stream and multiplies there it then could cause septicemic plague, and those symptoms are: sudden high fever and chills, fatigue, extreme weakness, vomiting, diarrhea, and gastric pain - if progressed farther there will be signs of organ failure. If the pathogen is contracted in the lungs it is considered pneumonic plague, and those symptoms could progress quickly and would be: sudden high fever with chills, coughing, bloody sputum, dyspnea, chest pain, headache, stomach pain, vomiting, and general weakness. The incubation period is around 1-6 days, so early detection/treatment is important.

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The Black Death is significant in history as an epidemic swept through Europe during the early 1300's and wiped out more than 20 million people. Little was known about disease and their transmission, but we know today the Plague is caused by the pathogen, Yersinia pestis. Typically, transmission is caused by infected fleas and rats, as well as bacillus with their ability to be transmitted by airborne route. Different modes of transmission affect the body differently whether it be from a flea bite (Bubonic), bloodstream (septicemic), or airborne (pneumonic). Little was known about disease, sanitation, transmission, etc. during the time of the "Black Death," so thanks to modern medicine and discovery, we can understand more about Yersinia pestis and how to treat it. We know now that ships traveling port to port would house rats and other rodents, and these would be infected and with no flea control or knowledge to do so, the disease spread rampant.