1, the first plague epidemic
It started in the middle of the 6th century and disappeared in the 8th century, killing hundreds of millions of people in Europe and Asia. The epidemic originated in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt and broke out in Constantinople in 542. At that time, Constantinople was the most populous city in the world, with many caravans and fleets from Asia, Africa and Europe. Because the outbreak coincided with the reign of Byzantine emperor Justinian, this plague was called "Justinian plague" by later generations.
2. The Second World Plague-Black Death
The plague known as the "Black Death" swept across Europe, killing 25 million Europeans, accounting for 1/3 of the total population of Europe at that time. Since then, the Black Death has invaded Europe many times in 15 and 16 centuries. However, the mortality and severity are gradually decreasing.
3. The third plague epidemic
The third plague epidemic broke out suddenly, reaching its peak in 1930s, affecting more than 60 countries in Asia, Europe, America and Africa, with a death rate of10 million. The epidemic spread quickly and widely, far ahead of the two pandemics. The epidemic is characterized by the fact that the epidemic areas are mostly distributed in coastal cities and nearby densely populated residential areas, and are also popular among livestock. Extended data:
First, the route of transmission of plague
1, media transmission: mainly spread by fleas sucking blood.
2. Contact transmission: When humans directly contact infected animals by hunting, slaughtering, skinning, eating meat, etc., bacteria can enter the human body through hand wounds and cause bubonic plague or septicemia plague through lymphatic vessels or blood. This direct contact infection can even form an infection through a very small wound, such as the barb of a finger.
3. Airborne: The respiratory secretions of patients with pneumonic plague contain a large number of Yersinia pestis. When patients breathe and cough, Yersinia pestis will be discharged into the surrounding air, forming bacterial particles and aerosols. This bacterial suspension is very contagious to others, causing the outbreak of human pneumonic plague. Infected animals exposed to lung infection, such as dogs and cats infected with plague, can also be directly infected through the respiratory tract, causing primary pneumonic plague.
Second, the harm of plague
1. In the past, the mortality rate of pneumonic plague was extremely high. In recent years, due to the timely application of antibiotics, the mortality rate has been well controlled, timely detection, timely isolation and on-site treatment. Early, combined and sufficient application of sensitive antibiotics can have a very good therapeutic effect. Streptomycin is the first choice for pneumonic plague, so pay attention to symptomatic treatment.
2. Pneumonic plague is a very harmful infectious disease. Attention should be paid to the prevention of pneumonic plague, including isolating patients and cutting off the route of transmission, that is, strengthening international quarantine and strictly killing rats and fleas. Thirdly, we should pay attention to the protection of susceptible people, including preventive medication and vaccination.