Plague
Alternative names:
bubonic plague; pneumonic plague; septicemic plague
Treatment:
Immediate treatment with antibiotics such as streptomycin, chloramphenicol, or tetracycline is indicated. Oxygen, intravenous fluids, and respiratory support are additional treatments. Patients with pneumonic plague are strictly isolated from other patients. People who have had contact with anyone infected by pneumonic plague are observed closely and are given antibiotics as a preventive measure.
Note: oral tetracycline is usually not prescribed for children until after all the permanent teeth have erupted; it can permanently discolor teeth that are still forming.
Expectations (prognosis):
Half of bubonic plague victims die if not treated, and almost all victims of pneumonic plague die if not treated. Treatment reduces the death rate to 5%.
Complications:
Calling your health care provider:
Call your health care provider if symptoms develop after exposure to fleas or rodents, especially if you live or have visited in an area where plague occurs frequently (endemic areas). Endemic areas in the U.S. are California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, and New Mexico.
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