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Microbiology Spectrum Dec 2022This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of 3,464 human plague cases and the distribution pattern of 4,968 Yersinia pestis isolates from humans, hosts,...
This study analyzed the epidemiological characteristics of 3,464 human plague cases and the distribution pattern of 4,968 Yersinia pestis isolates from humans, hosts, and vector insects from 1950 to 2020 among two natural plague foci in Yunnan Province, China. These foci include the Rattus flavipectus plague focus of the Yunnan, Guangdong, and Fujian provinces and the Apodemus chevrieriEothenomys miletus plague focus of the highlands of northwestern Yunnan Province. The case fatality rate for plague in humans was 18.39% (637/3,464), and the total isolation rate of Y. pestis was 0.17% (4,968/2,975,288). Despite that the frequency of human cases declined rapidly, the animal plague fluctuated greatly, alternating between activity and inactivity in these foci. The tendency among human cases can be divided into 4 stages, 1950 to 1955, 1956 to 1989, 1990 to 2005, and 2006 to 2020. Bubonic plague accounted for the majority of cases in Yunnan, where pneumonic and septicemic plague rarely occurred. The natural plague foci have been in a relatively active state due to the stability of local ecology. Dense human population and frequent contact with host animals contribute to the high risk of human infection. This study systematically analyzed the epidemic pattern of human plague and the distribution characteristics of Y. pestis in the natural plague foci in Yunnan, providing a scientific basis for further development and adjustment of plague prevention and control strategies. Yunnan is the origin of the third plague pandemic. The analysis of human and animal plague characteristics of plague foci in Yunnan enlightens the prevention and control of the next plague pandemics. The plague characteristics of Yunnan show that human plague occurred when animal plague reached a certain scale, and strengthened surveillance of animal plague and reducing the density of host animals and transmission vectors contribute to the prevention and control of human plague outbreaks. The phenomenon of alternation between the resting period and active period of plague foci in Yunnan further proves the endogenous preservation mechanism of plague.
Topics: Rats; Animals; Humans; Plague; China; Yersinia pestis; Disease Outbreaks; Pandemics
PubMed: 36219109
DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.01662-22 -
The Permanente Journal 2020Disease and medicine are found throughout Gabriel García Márquez's work. This article examines the insomnia plague described in the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude...
Disease and medicine are found throughout Gabriel García Márquez's work. This article examines the insomnia plague described in the novel One Hundred Years of Solitude and performs a differential diagnosis exercise with conditions that affect both sleep and memory. The main finding is that the insomnia plague narrated by García Márquez, with its clinical manifestations, the sequence of symptoms, and its resolution, cannot be associated with any specific diagnosis. However, similarities to and differences from several clinical conditions are discussed, as well as the relation between the neurophysiologic phenomena of sleep and memory.
Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome; Diagnosis, Differential; Humans; Infectious Encephalitis; Korsakoff Syndrome; Memory; Neurocysticercosis; Parkinson Disease, Postencephalitic; Plague; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
PubMed: 32663127
DOI: 10.7812/TPP/19.192 -
Biological Psychiatry Jan 2024Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and opioid use disorder (OUD) comprise twin plagues causing considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. As interactions between TBI and... (Review)
Review
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and opioid use disorder (OUD) comprise twin plagues causing considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide. As interactions between TBI and OUD are to our knowledge uncharted, we review the possible mechanisms by which TBI may stimulate the development of OUD and discuss the interaction or crosstalk between these two processes. Central nervous system damage due to TBI appears to drive adverse effects of subsequent OUD and opioid use/misuse affecting several molecular pathways. Pain, a neurological consequence of TBI, is a risk factor that increases the likelihood of opioid use/misuse after TBI. Other comorbidities including depression, anxiety, posttraumatic stress disorder, and sleep disturbances are also associated with deleterious outcomes. We examine the hypothesis that a TBI "first hit" induces a neuroinflammatory process involving microglial priming, which, on a second hit related to opioid exposure, exacerbates neuroinflammation, modifies synaptic plasticity, and spreads tau aggregates to promote neurodegeneration. As TBI also impairs myelin repair by oligodendrocytes, it may reduce or degrade white matter integrity in the reward circuit resulting in behavioral changes. Along with approaches focused on specific patient symptoms, understanding the CNS effects following TBI offers a promise of improved management for individuals with OUD.
Topics: Humans; Analgesics, Opioid; Plague; Brain Injuries, Traumatic; White Matter; Myelin Sheath; Microglia; Opioid-Related Disorders
PubMed: 37217015
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.05.013 -
BMC Public Health Jun 2021Human plague cases, mainly in the bubonic form, occur annually in endemic regions of the central highlands of Madagascar. The aim of this study was to compare the...
BACKGROUND
Human plague cases, mainly in the bubonic form, occur annually in endemic regions of the central highlands of Madagascar. The aim of this study was to compare the dynamics of the epidemiological features of the human plague in two districts of the central highlands region.
METHODS
In Madagascar, all clinically suspected plague cases that meet clinical and epidemiological criteria specified in the World Health Organization (WHO) standard case definition are reported to the national surveillance system. Data on plague cases reported between 2006 and 2015 in the districts of Ambositra and Tsiroanomandidy were analysed. Statistical comparisons between the epidemiological characteristics of the two districts were conducted.
RESULTS
A total of 840 cases of plague were reported over the studied period, including 563 (67%) probable and confirmed cases (P + C). Out of these P + C cases, nearly 86% (488/563) were cases of bubonic plague. Reported clinical forms of plague were significantly different between the districts from 2006 to 2015 (p = 0.001). Plague cases occurred annually in a period of 10 years in the Tsiroanomandidy district. During the same period, the Ambositra district was characterized by a one-year absence of cases.
CONCLUSION
The differences in the epidemiological situation with respect to the plague from 2006 to 2015 in the two central highlands districts may suggest that several factors other than biogeographical factors determine the representation of the plague and its dynamics in this region. Considering the epidemiological situations according to the specific contexts of the districts could improve the results in the fight against the plague in Madagascar.
Topics: Humans; Incidence; Madagascar; Plague; World Health Organization
PubMed: 34112118
DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-11061-8 -
Bulletin of the History of Medicine 2020This article draws on Charles Rosenberg's classic essay "What Is an Epidemic?" (1989) to reflect on the complex narrative structures and temporalities of epidemics as...
This article draws on Charles Rosenberg's classic essay "What Is an Epidemic?" (1989) to reflect on the complex narrative structures and temporalities of epidemics as they are experienced and storied. We begin with an analysis of Rosenberg's use of Albert Camus's The Plague and a discussion of how epidemics have been modeled in literature and in epidemiology concomitantly. Then, we argue that Charles Rosenberg's characterization of epidemics as events bounded in time that display narrative and epidemiological purity fails to account for the reinvention of life within health crises. Adopting the ecological, archaeological, and anthropological perspectives developed within African studies enriches the range of available plots, roles, and temporal sequences and ultimately transforms our way of depicting epidemics. Instead of events oriented toward their own closure, epidemics might be approached as unsettling, seemingly endless periods during which life has to be recomposed.
Topics: Epidemics; History, 20th Century; Humans; Literature, Modern; Plague
PubMed: 33775946
DOI: 10.1353/bhm.2020.0089 -
Acta Tropica Feb 2023Several anthropogenic activities exposure humans to the risk of rodent-borne diseases. These activities are but not limited to logging, clearing land for crop... (Review)
Review
Several anthropogenic activities exposure humans to the risk of rodent-borne diseases. These activities are but not limited to logging, clearing land for crop cultivation, and consuming rodents. Rodents are a highly diverse mammalian group and harbor many zoonotic diseases. This review focuses on dominant rodent-flea species, rodent-borne zoonotic diseases and awareness and management practices against rodent-borne diseases in Africa. Relevant academic literature spanning from 1974 to 2021 was analysed. Dominant rodent species reported in Africa included:- Mastomys natalensis and Rattus rattus, while dominant flea species included Xenopsylla brasiliensis and Xenopsylla cheopis. Rodents were reported as hosts to a wide range of parasites which can be passed to humans. Rodents were also reported as hosts to some protozoans, trematodes, cestodes, nematodes, bacteria and viruses which are transmissible to humans. Some studies conducted in West Africa revealed good knowledge and practices on plague and Lassa fever diseases among respondents, whereas other studies reported poor practices on Lassa fever management. In part of Southern Africa, some studies reported poor knowledge and practices on plague disease. Further research on rodent-borne disease awareness and management strategies in African countries is desirable.
Topics: Humans; Rats; Animals; Plague; Lassa Fever; Zoonoses; Rodentia; Siphonaptera; Africa, Southern
PubMed: 36343664
DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106743 -
Journal of Vector Borne Diseases 2022Fleas (Insecta, Siphonaptera) are important vectors of plague and murine typhus in many parts of the world. Currently, about 2700 flea species were described in the... (Review)
Review
Fleas (Insecta, Siphonaptera) are important vectors of plague and murine typhus in many parts of the world. Currently, about 2700 flea species were described in the world. The most common vector flea Xenopsylla cheopis is found throughout India, but X. astia, and X. brasiliensis are found less and limited in distribution associated with the domestic rats such as Rattus rattus, R. norvegicus, Mus musculus, and Bandicota bengalensis. Bubonic plague is a major flea-borne disease caused by the bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis, transmitted from rats to humans via the rodent flea, X. cheopis. A major outbreak of plague and high mortality occurred in India. After 1966 with the 3 decadal intervals, plague cases occurred only during the year 1994 reported in 5 different states (Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi and subsequently plague cases occurred during 2002 and 2004 after the one-decade interval in Himachal Pradesh (2002). Another outbreak of bubonic plague was reported in Dangud village, Barkhot tehsil, Uttarkashi district, Uttarakhand during October 2004. Ctenocephalides fleas are common in cats and dogs, which are the main vectors of bacteria rickettsiae, such as Rickettsia typhi, R. felis, R. conorii, and Bartonella henselae. Molecular and serological evidence also confirms the presence of R. typhi, R. conorii R. felis and B. henselae pathogens in cats and other fleas in India. Flea bites and flea-borne dermatitis are common in men and pet animals. Because of the re-emergence of the plague, updated information on fleas and flea-borne diseases are essential to control the flea vectors and flea-borne diseases in India. Hence, this comprehensive review updates the available information on fleas and fleas transmitted diseases in India.
Topics: Animals; Cats; Dogs; Flea Infestations; Humans; India; Mice; Plague; Public Health; Rats; Siphonaptera
PubMed: 35708399
DOI: 10.4103/0972-9062.328977 -
Maedica Sep 2019The sixth Egyptian plague described in the Book of Exodus (the second book of the Pentateuch or Torah) was one of the Ten Plagues of Egypt which occurred probably during...
The sixth Egyptian plague described in the Book of Exodus (the second book of the Pentateuch or Torah) was one of the Ten Plagues of Egypt which occurred probably during the 13th century BC. This plague was an acute epidemic skin disease characterized by boils that eventually formed ulcers on the skin. The sixth Egyptian plague comprises the first medical report on the harmful effects of soot/dust on skin and presages the nowadays well-known harmful effects of soot-induced air pollution on the environment and human health.
PubMed: 31798752
DOI: 10.26574/maedica.2019.14.3.310 -
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde Dec 2020The plague epidemics wiped out large parts of the city population from the 15th to the 17th century in the Netherlands. The plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) is...
The plague epidemics wiped out large parts of the city population from the 15th to the 17th century in the Netherlands. The plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) is transmitted to humans through infected rats and fleas and has been transferred from China to Europe via the trade routes over land and sea. Meetings were banned, plague victims were isolated at home or in pest houses, and ships quarantined. In the densely populated, poor neighborhoods of the cities, however, isolation and keeping distance were not feasible, which allowed the plague to rapidly spread. The lessons we have learned from the plague epidemics are timeless. Isolation, keeping your distance and quarantine were key principles and now apply again in the approach to the current Covid-19 pandemic. How effective these measures are depends on the social context in which they are applied.
Topics: Animals; COVID-19; Disease Reservoirs; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Disease Vectors; History, 15th Century; History, 16th Century; History, 17th Century; Humans; Netherlands; Pandemics; Physical Distancing; Plague; Quarantine; SARS-CoV-2; Yersinia pestis
PubMed: 33332041
DOI: No ID Found -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Mar 2022Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague, a zoonosis associated with small mammals. Plague is a severe disease, especially in the pneumonic and septicemic forms,...
BACKGROUND
Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of plague, a zoonosis associated with small mammals. Plague is a severe disease, especially in the pneumonic and septicemic forms, where fatality rates approach 100% if left untreated. The bacterium is primarily transmitted via flea bite or through direct contact with an infected host. The 2017 plague outbreak in Madagascar resulted in more than 2,400 cases and was highlighted by an increased number of pneumonic infections. Standard diagnostics for plague include laboratory-based assays such as bacterial culture and serology, which are inadequate for administering immediate patient care for pneumonic and septicemic plague.
PRINCIPAL FINDINGS
The goal of this study was to develop a sensitive rapid plague prototype that can detect all virulent strains of Y. pestis. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced against two Y. pestis antigens, low-calcium response V (LcrV) and capsular fraction-1 (F1), and prototype lateral flow immunoassays (LFI) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were constructed. The LFIs developed for the detection of LcrV and F1 had limits of detection (LOD) of roughly 1-2 ng/mL in surrogate clinical samples (antigens spiked into normal human sera). The optimized antigen-capture ELISAs produced LODs of 74 pg/mL for LcrV and 61 pg/mL for F1 when these antigens were spiked into buffer. A dual antigen LFI prototype comprised of two test lines was evaluated for the detection of both antigens in Y. pestis lysates. The dual format was also evaluated for specificity using a small panel of clinical near-neighbors and other Tier 1 bacterial Select Agents.
CONCLUSIONS
LcrV is expressed by all virulent Y. pestis strains, but homologs produced by other Yersinia species can confound assay specificity. F1 is specific to Y. pestis but is not expressed by all virulent strains. Utilizing highly reactive mAbs, a dual-antigen detection (multiplexed) LFI was developed to capitalize on the diagnostic strengths of each target.
Topics: Animals; Antibodies, Bacterial; Antigens, Bacterial; Humans; Immunoassay; Mammals; Plague; Yersinia pestis; Zoonoses
PubMed: 35320275
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010287