Plague: Microbiology, Epidemiology, and Clinical Manifestations of Yersinia pestis

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards defining key biological, medical, historical, and laboratory concepts related to Yersinia pestis and the plague.

Yersinia pestis

Plump, nonmotile, gram-negative coccobacilli ($1\text{--}2\,\mu m \times 0.5\,\mu m$) that cause the plague, usually appearing as single cells or pairs with bipolar staining.

Zoonotic disease

A disease transmitted to humans from animals (usually rodents) and their infected fleas.

Bubonic plague

The most common form of plague, transmitted by flea bites or breaks in the skin, characterized by fever, chills, weakness, headache, and painful swollen lymph nodes.

Buboes

Painful swellings of the lymph nodes located in the groin, axilla, or neck associated with bubonic plague.

Septicemic plague

A form of plague where Yersinia pestis multiplies in the blood, causing abdominal pain, shock, and bleeding into skin and organs without swollen lymph nodes.

Pneumonic plague

The most deadly form of plague characterized by cough, chest pain, and hemoptysis, which can spread from person to person and is a major bioterrorism concern.

Proventriculus

The organ in an infected flea that becomes blocked by a mass of Yersinia pestis bacteria, causing the flea to regurgitate blood and bacilli into its host.

Tier 1 agent

The highest risk category of biological agents with potential to be used as biological weapons, which includes Yersinia pestis.

Laboratory Response Network (LRN)

A network established in 1999 by the CDC to maintain integrated laboratories capable of responding quickly to biological and chemical threats and public health emergencies.

Wayson Stain

A stain used alongside Wright's/Giemsa stain to demonstrate the characteristic bipolar 'safety pin-like' appearance of Yersinia pestis.

Justinian Plague

The first great plague pandemic, which began in 541 CE in central Africa and spread to Egypt and the Mediterranean.

The Black Death

The second great plague pandemic starting in 1347 that originated in Asia and wiped out 30-50% of Europe's population.

Third pandemic

A plague pandemic originating in Yunnan, China, in 1894 that spread to Hong Kong, India, and the rest of the world.

Plague doctor attire

An early form of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) consisting of a black hat, a beaked white mask with aromatic substances, a waxed gown, and a wooden rod.

BSL-2 practices

Biosafety Level 2 protocols required when handling Yersinia pestis patient specimens, including wearing gloves and a gown and working in a certified Class II biosafety cabinet.

Aerosolized Yersinia pestis estimate

The WHO estimate that releasing $50\,kg$ of aerosolized Yersinia pestis over a major city would cause widespread disease and death.