• The plague bacterium (Yersinia pestis) is transmitted by fleas and cycles naturally among wild rodents. (cdc.gov)
  • The disease is caused by a coccobacillus-shaped, gram negative bacterium referred to as Yersinia pestis . (medscape.com)
  • Three studies have shown that this bacterium emerged from the gut pathogen Yersinia pseudotuberculosis shortly after the first epidemic. (medscape.com)
  • The virulence of this bacterium results from the 32 Y pestis chromosomal genes and two Y pestis -specific plasmids, constituting the only new genetic material acquired since its evolution from its predecessor. (medscape.com)
  • Plague is an infectious disease of animals and humans caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. (shelbycountytn.gov)
  • Last time, as you'll remember, we talked about a general overview of the three pandemics, as well as the impact of the plague bacterium - which we have here, Yersinia pestis , the star of our show - on the individual human body. (yale.edu)
  • The Black Death is believed to have been the result of plague caused by infection with the bacterium Yersinia pestis . (britannica.com)
  • Most scientists think that this bacterium was first passed from infected rodents to humans through the bite of fleas. (britannica.com)
  • Yersinia pestis is a gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • The bacterium enters human bodies via flea bites and latches onto cells lining our lungs or skin. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • Let's delve into the signs, symptoms, and conditions associated with Yersinia Pestis- a bacterium that is known to trigger serious illnesses. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • It is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. (cdc.gov)
  • This bacterium is found in rodents and their fleas and occurs in many areas of the world, including the United States. (cdc.gov)
  • johnsoni flea, is a known vector for the plague bacterium, Yersinia pestis . (cdc.gov)
  • Humans usually get plague after being bitten by a rodent flea that is carrying the plague bacterium or by handling an animal infected with plague. (cdc.gov)
  • Mosquitoes and fleas are also common vectors for zoonotic diseases, such as the Zika virus (transmitted by mosquitoes) and the bacterium that causes plague (transmitted by fleas). (livescience.com)
  • The black rat is famous for being the carrier of Yersinia pestis, the bacterium that transmits the bubonic plague or black plague. (malaga.es)
  • The disease is characterized by fever and swelling of the lymph nodes and caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis , which spreads via rodents carrying infected fleas. (ijpr.org)
  • Paul Mead] Plague is a life-threatening disease caused by Yersinia pestis , a bacterium that normally cycles among rodents and their fleas, though there are three main forms of the disease in humans. (cdc.gov)
  • The plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, found in fleas and then transmitted to rodents and small mammals. (earth.org)
  • In virtually every textbook the Bubonic Plague, which is spread by flea-ridden rats, is named as the culprit behind the chaos. (nature.com)
  • Bubonic Plague is caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis . (nature.com)
  • NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) - By sequencing two Late Bronze Age Yersinia pestis isolates, a team from Germany, Russia, China, and Switzerland has gleaned additional insights into the history of the notorious pathogen behind the bubonic plague. (genomeweb.com)
  • A phylogenetic analysis of the strains, set alongside 177 available modern and ancient Y. pestis sequences, suggested that they belonged to a previously undocumented lineage that emerged roughly 4,000 years ago, but already contained the virulence factors that set bubonic plague apart from more innocuous bacteria. (genomeweb.com)
  • Bubonic is a serious bacterial infection of the lymphatic system, caused by the bacteria called Yersinia pestis (Y. pestis). (indiatimes.com)
  • He linked Y. pestis to the bubonic plauge, an epidemic that ravaged Europe during the 1300s. (kenyon.edu)
  • Bubonic plague does not spread directly from person to person but from rodent to person or person to person by infected fleas. (britannica.com)
  • The most well-known disease caused by Yersinia pestis is the Bubonic plague. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • Among the most well-known flea-borne diseases is the bubonic plague, infamous for its devastating impact on human history. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • Yersinia pestis , the causative agent of bubonic and pneumonic plagues, has undergone detailed study at the molecular level. (asm.org)
  • It was the Japanese who made the most use of biological weapons during World War II, as among other terrifyingly indiscriminate attacks, the Japanese Army Air Force dropped ceramic bombs full of fleas carrying the bubonic plague on Ningbo, China. (medicalnewstoday.com)
  • The scientists developed their model to mimic the natural transmission route of bubonic plague through the bites of infected fleas. (scienceblog.com)
  • Against the assumptions of historians and scientists for over a century and what continues to be inscribed in medical and history texts alike, the Black Death was not the same disease as that rat-based bubonic plague whose agent (Yersinia pestis) was first cultured at Hong Kong in 1894. (historycooperative.org)
  • The lab also looked at variations of the gene Pla and discovered that a single modification only found in modern strains of Y. pestis was a critical adaptation for the bacteria to spread in the body and infect the lymph nodes, a form of the infection that causes bubonic plague. (phys.org)
  • According to Lathem, the surprising conclusion from this aspect of the study is that, contrary to current thinking in the field, Y. pestis may have first evolved as a respiratory pathogen before it could cause the more common form of disease, bubonic plague. (phys.org)
  • The first symptoms of bubonic plague include the sudden onset of fever with painful swelling of the lymph nodes, called bubos in the areas closest to the flea bite (typically, in the groin, armpit, or neck). (blessedquietness.com)
  • In bubonic plague, caused by flea or rodent bites from infected animals, people have a sudden high fever and exquisitely painful swollen glands (called buboes). (drgreene.com)
  • Marshall et al (1967) has described an asymptomatic pharyngeal carrier state of Y pestis infection in patients with bubonic plague. (medscape.com)
  • Only after the rodent has died do the fleas jump to humans for a new tasty snack. (nature.com)
  • When this happens, hungry infected fleas leave the dead rodents and seek blood from other hosts, including humans and domestic pets. (cdc.gov)
  • Humans and domestic animals that are bitten by fleas from dead animals are at risk for contracting plague, especially during an epizootic. (cdc.gov)
  • Our Y. pestis isolates from around 4,000 years ago possessed all the genetic characteristics required for efficient flea transmission of plague to rodents, humans, and other mammals," first author Maria Spyrou, an archaeogenetics researcher affiliated with Max Planck Institute and the University of Tübingen, said in a statement. (genomeweb.com)
  • Even so, an analysis of Bronze Age isolates sequenced by the University of Copenhagen's Eske Willerslev and colleagues in 2015 indicated that those early Eurasian isolates had many known virulence factors but did not contain genetic features compatible with routine transmission to humans via fleas. (genomeweb.com)
  • Plague is caused by bacteria called Yersinia pestis , which can infect humans and other mammals. (livescience.com)
  • Plague is an acute, contagious, febrile illness usually transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected flea. (medscape.com)
  • Aerosolized Y pestis, causing primary pneumonic plague, has been recognized by bioterrorism experts as having one of the highest potentials as a bioterrorism agent due to its extremely high mortality, its high uptake into enzootic and epizootic animals as well as humans, and its ability to be spread over a large area. (medscape.com)
  • Modern genetic analysis shows that the strain of Y. pestis introduced during the Black Death is the ancestor to all existing Y. pestis strains known to cause disease in humans. (britannica.com)
  • The source of these isolates were: 471 rodents, 236 pools of fleas, 2 pools of Ornithodorus and 152 humans beings. (scielo.br)
  • It is primarily carried by rodents and spreads to humans and other animals via fleas. (who.int)
  • A flea may seem like nothing more than a tiny nuisance, but these minuscule insects can pose a significant threat to both humans and their beloved pets. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • Flea-borne diseases, as the name suggests, are illnesses transmitted to humans and animals through the bites of infected fleas. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • By understanding the diverse range of diseases associated with fleas, we can better appreciate the risks they pose to both humans and animals and take informed measures to mitigate these risks effectively. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • Transmission of flea-borne diseases to both humans and pets primarily occurs when infected fleas engage in their blood-feeding activities. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • A comparison of four virulent Y. pestis strains with the human-avirulent strain 91001 provides further insight into the genetic basis of virulence to humans. (asm.org)
  • Cat and dog fleas are the most likely fleas to affect humans, though rats and raccoons nesting in a home can also carry fleas. (kingcounty.gov)
  • Plague is a serious infection of humans caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis . (kingcounty.gov)
  • An acute infectious disease caused by YERSINIA PESTIS that affects humans, wild rodents, and their ectoparasites. (dermis.net)
  • The disease can also be transmitted to humans and other animals by the bite of an infected flea or contact with an infected animal. (news5cleveland.com)
  • The disease is carried by rodents (i.e., rats and mice) and their fleas, which can then transmit the disease to humans as well as to other animals. (blessedquietness.com)
  • Paul Mead] Humans acquire plague most often through the bite of infected rodent fleas. (cdc.gov)
  • Globally, the risk is greatest in endemic areas of the developing world where flea-infested commensal rats, such as the black rat, Rattus rattus, live in close proximity to humans. (cdc.gov)
  • The organism is transmitted to humans who are bitten by fleas that have fed on infected rodents or by humans handling infected animals. (augustahealth.com)
  • It is an infection primarily of rodents and their fleas, but without proper treatment it can cause devastating infections in humans and other animals. (drgreene.com)
  • In humans, Yersinia pestis causes plague and Yersinia enterocolitica causes yersiniosis. (bmj.com)
  • The pathophysiology of plague basically involves two phases-a cycle within the fleas and a cycle within humans. (medscape.com)
  • Plague is transmitted to humans by fleas or by direct exposure to infected tissues or respiratory droplets. (cdc.gov)
  • The fleas can leave the animal bodies and then get on other animals or get on humans and infect them. (cdc.gov)
  • Yersinia pestis is found in rodents and their fleas in many areas around the world. (shelbycountytn.gov)
  • If you go to areas where plague is endemic (an ongoing problem), take precautions to protect yourself against rodents and their fleas. (blessedquietness.com)
  • Many rodents, such as rats, carry the infected fleas and in turn become sick. (nature.com)
  • Pet owners can reduce the risk for plague in pets by controlling pet roaming," controlling fleas on pets, and minimizing habitats for mice and rats inside and outside the home, the CDC said. (livescience.com)
  • This bacteria's life cycle often involves fleas and rats, although it can infect various other mammals. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • It is transmitted primarily by the fleas of rats and other rodents. (merckvetmanual.com)
  • Scientists now know that the disease was caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis , transmitted by bites from fleas that hitched rides on rats. (atlasobscura.com)
  • Actually, it is not the rats that carry the bacteria, but fleas that use the rat as a host. (malaga.es)
  • [ 10 ] Survival of the bacillus in nature depends on flea-rodent interaction, and human infection does not contribute to the bacteria's persistence in nature. (medscape.com)
  • The major defense against Y pestis infection is the development of specific anti-envelope (F1) antibodies, which serve as opsonins for the virulent organisms, allowing their rapid phagocytosis and destruction while still within the initial infectious locus. (kenyon.edu)
  • This regurgitation spreads Yersinia pestis into the new host - and thus begins infection. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • During a natural infection, the digestive system of some fleas becomes blocked with a highly infectious bacterial mass. (scienceblog.com)
  • The infection, which rarely causes disease in cats, is transmitted between cats by fleas. (kingcounty.gov)
  • In a paper published in Nature Communications , Lathem and first author Daniel Zimbler, Ph.D., a Feinberg post-doctoral fellow, demonstrated how the acquisition of a single gene caused the shift of Y. pestis from causing a primarily gastrointestinal infection to a more serious and often fatal respiratory disease. (phys.org)
  • Lathem proposed that the bacteria's acquisition of the gene Pla enhanced its ability to cause infection in the lungs and was all that this ancestral strain of Y. pestis needed to produce a fatal lung infection. (phys.org)
  • They found the newly mutated strain had gained the ability to cause respiratory infection identically to modern strains of Y. pestis that cause disease today, demonstrating that the Pla gene was necessary for Y. pestis to infect the lungs. (phys.org)
  • The risk of being bitten by infected fleas is high when plague infection kills large numbers of rodents. (blessedquietness.com)
  • International travelers to a plague-endemic area (areas reported to have an ongoing plague problem) are generally at low risk for infection for Y. pestis. (blessedquietness.com)
  • Plague is a serious bacterial infection that's transmitted primarily by fleas. (augustahealth.com)
  • Rodent control and flea control for pets can also help prevent infection. (drgreene.com)
  • Yersinia infection can cause plague or yersiniosis, both of which are notifiable conditions. (bmj.com)
  • Source of host blood affects prevalence of infection and bacterial loads of Yersinia pestis in fleas. (bvsalud.org)
  • The rat fleas may then bite people and transmit infection. (msdmanuals.com)
  • This was reported as the sole presentation of Y pestis infection in 4 of 27 patients in a case series published in 1992. (medscape.com)
  • From 1966 to 1982, 861 strains of Yersinia pestis were isolated from plague foci in Northeastern Brazil. (scielo.br)
  • What became known as the Black Death was a pandemic caused by deadly strains of yersinia pestis bacteria, which live in the bellies of the fleas carried by various rodents throughout Asia and Africa. (marxist.com)
  • Emerg In- total of 319 fleas belonging to 5 species fect Dis. (cdc.gov)
  • Xenopsylla cheopis is more sensitive to colder weather compared to other flea species, and thrives in drier climates. (capcvet.org)
  • Of the 1500 flea species identified, only 30 of them have been shown to act as vectors of plague. (medscape.com)
  • Having the genome sequenced also means that they are able to determine other species that are related to yersinia pestis which can prevent future outbreaks. (kenyon.edu)
  • Yersinia pestis has three sub species in which only two have been sequenced, strain KIM and strain CO92. (kenyon.edu)
  • Yersinia pestis is maintained in the environment in a natural cycle between susceptible rodent species and their associated fleas. (merckvetmanual.com)
  • Zygodontomys lasiurus pixuna was the rodent specie that produced mostly of the isolates as well as mostly of the infected pools of fleas mainly of the Polygenis species. (scielo.br)
  • Fleas are not discriminatory in their choice of hosts, and as such, they can transmit a variety of diseases to different species. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • The results presented here clearly demonstrate the differences between the two biovar antiqua lineages and support the notion that grouping Y. pestis strains based strictly on the classical definition of biovars (predicated upon two biochemical assays) does not accurately reflect the phylogenetic relationships within this species. (asm.org)
  • Colorado reports sporadic Yersinia pestis cases every year, and officials routinely urge people to take precautions, such as protecting pets from fleas and staying out of areas where wild rodents are found. (umn.edu)
  • When wild rodents die, the fleas may move to rodents that live close to people, then to household pets, especially cats. (msdmanuals.com)
  • Transmission of Yersinia pestis from an infectious biofilm in the flea vector. (medscape.com)
  • Instead, Yersinia pestis has more of an infectious pathway. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • Their significance lies in their potential to spread infectious agents far and wide, making it essential for us to comprehend the nature and implications of flea-borne diseases. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • Although human disease is rare, Y. pestis is dangerous and highly infectious and thus has been identified as having potential for use in bioterrorism or as a biological weapon. (asm.org)
  • Y pestis is categorized as a tier 1 bioterrorism select agent due to its low infectious dose, high case fatality rate, and history of use as an agent of bioterrorism. (bmj.com)
  • The causative agent, Yersinia pestis , primarily infects a wide range of rodents and is transmitted via flea vectors. (asm.org)
  • Plague initially occurred as a flea-borne septicemic disease. (medscape.com)
  • Yersinia pestis was discovered in Hong Kong in 1894 by a Swiss physician Alexandre Yersin, who was a student of the Pasteur school of thought. (kenyon.edu)
  • The plague bacillus Y pestis is transmitted to people mainly by the bites of infected fleas. (bmj.com)
  • They also will try to learn how plague bacteria spreads through a host after being transmitted by a flea, with hopes of developing new treatments to counteract the spread of plague in an infected person. (scienceblog.com)
  • Hinnebusch BJ, Rudolph AE, Cherepanov P, Dixon JE, Schwan TG, Forsberg A. Role of Yersinia murine toxin in survival of Yersinia pestis in the midgut of the flea vector. (medscape.com)
  • Y. pestis grows in the midgut and eventually blocks the proventriculus, starving the flea for blood. (kenyon.edu)
  • After ingestion of infected blood, the bacteria survive in the midgut of the flea owing to a plasmid-encoded phospholipase D that protects them from digestive juices. (medscape.com)
  • The team examined ancestral strains of the bacteria in mouse models to learn when Y. pestis gained the ability to infect the lungs and cause the severe form of the disease known as pneumonic plague . (phys.org)
  • In the most ancestral of all currently existing Y. pestis strains, they showed how the bacteria could successfully colonize the lungs but could not cause the severe disease associated with pneumonic plague. (phys.org)
  • Yersinia pestis and often involving the lymph nodes and/or lungs. (msdmanuals.com)
  • Sarah Gregory] So, what are the different types of plagues--you mentioned Yersinia pestis -- and do they have different kinds of symptoms or what? (cdc.gov)
  • The study also raises new questions about the prevalence and historical spread of Y. pestis lineages, senior author Johannes Krause, director of archaeogenetics at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History and archaeological sciences researcher at the University of Tübingen, said in a statement. (genomeweb.com)
  • One reason for plague's reemergence may be global warming, which is ideal for increasing the prevalence of Y pestis in the host population. (medscape.com)
  • Lathem said the new research may explain how Y. pestis transitioned from causing only localized outbreaks of plague to the pandemic spread of Y. pestis such as the sixth century's Justinian Plague and the fourteenth century's Black Death. (phys.org)
  • 1 Scientifically named Yersinia pestis, the bacteria enter human and animal bodies often through flea bites. (icr.org)
  • The bacteria enter the body via the skin (by a flea bite) or the mucous membranes (by ingestion of infected animal tissue). (merckvetmanual.com)
  • [ 9 ] These acquired genetic changes have allowed the pathogen to colonize fleas and to use them as vectors for transmission. (medscape.com)
  • Understanding these diseases starts with recognizing the pivotal role that fleas play as vectors, connecting disease-causing microorganisms to new hosts. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • The mechanisms may vary depending on the specific disease and pathogen involved, but these modes of transmission collectively illustrate the adaptability of fleas as disease vectors. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • It usually occurs after the bite of an infected flea. (cdc.gov)
  • This occurs when an infected flea bites a person or when materials contaminated with Y. pestis enter through a break in a person's skin. (cdc.gov)
  • When fleas bite an infected host, they ingest the pathogen along with their blood meal. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • While studying Yersinia pestis , the bacteria responsible for epidemics of plague such as the Black Death, Wyndham Lathem, Ph.D., assistant professor in microbiology-immunology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, found a single small genetic change that fundamentally influenced the evolution of the deadly pathogen, and thus the course of human history. (phys.org)
  • Upon further examination, the organism was correctly identified as Y pestis . (medscape.com)
  • It is very important to have the genome sequenced for Y. pestis because this organism is capable of causing very fatal diseases. (kenyon.edu)
  • As a biologist, I am fascinated by the complexity and diversity of biological organisms, and one such organism that piques my curiosity is Yersinia pestis. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • A scanning electron microscope micrograph depicting a mass of Yersinia pestis bacteria in the foregut of an infected flea. (phys.org)
  • Through an exploration of its life cycle to typical diseases it causes, biochemical tests for its identification, and crucially, how we can prevent and treat infections caused by it - you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of Yersinia pestis. (aboutdarwin.com)
  • Fleas can even transmit tapeworm infections in pets. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • Infected flea droppings on the cat's fur or claws are the source of human infections, which are spread from the cat to a person by a cat bite, scratch or lick. (kingcounty.gov)
  • Xenopsylla cheopis is known to transmit Ricketssia typhi (murine typhus), Salmonella enteriditis (salmonellosis), Yersinia pestis (plague), Trypanosoma lewisi (murine trypanosomiasis), Hymenolepis diminuta (rodent tapeworm), Hymenolepis nana (dwarf tapeworm). (capcvet.org)
  • In cold climates, fleas survive as adults on dogs and cats or wild mammals or within pupal casings as preemerged adults in protected environments. (capcvet.org)
  • Comparison of Zoonotic Bacterial Agents in Fleas Collected from Small Mammals or Host-Seeking Fleas from a Ugandan Region Where Plague Is Endemic. (cdc.gov)
  • Pneumonic plague is also spread by breathing in Y. pestis suspended in respiratory droplets from a person (or animal) with pneumonic plague. (cdc.gov)
  • Our findings demonstrate how Y. pestis had the ability to cause a severe respiratory disease very early in its evolution. (phys.org)
  • For the new study, researchers used in-solution capture and deep Illumina shotgun sequencing to generate Y. pestis and human host sequences for a Bronze Age man known as RT5, producing more than 32-fold average coverage of that Y. pestis genome. (genomeweb.com)
  • Camping, hunting or hiking in areas where plague-infected animals reside can increase your risk of being bitten by an infected flea. (augustahealth.com)
  • People get plague if they are bitten by an infected flea. (drgreene.com)
  • Yersinia pestis is a rod shaped gram-negative bacteria that can also have a spherical shape. (kenyon.edu)
  • Y pestis is a nonmotile, pleomorphic, gram-negative coccobacillus that is nonsporulating. (medscape.com)
  • Officials said because the plague is endemic in Coconino County, there are likely additional locations with infected fleas. (news5cleveland.com)
  • Travel to endemic areas within and outside the United States, history of a flea bite, close contact with a potential host, or exposure to dead rodents or rabbits should raise suspicion for plague. (medscape.com)
  • The disease can spread through bites from infected fleas, or from contact with an infected mammal. (livescience.com)
  • Plague is a sudden and sometimes fatal bacterial disease caused by Yersinia pestis . (merckvetmanual.com)
  • Plague is a zoonotic disease caused by enterobacteria Yersinia pestis. (who.int)
  • The primary mechanisms of disease transmission by fleas include. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • Once fleas become infected, they can act as carriers of disease, transmitting these pathogens to new hosts when they bite and feed. (insecta-inspecta.com)
  • In a Thursday release, officials said fleas located in the Doney Park area tested positive for the disease. (news5cleveland.com)
  • The CCPHSD is urging the public to take precautions and limit their risk of exposure to the disease, which can be present in fleas, rodents, rabbits, and predators that feed on those animals. (news5cleveland.com)
  • Residents should not eradicate or kill prairie dogs on their property as this increases the risk of exposure to plague-infested fleas," SJBPH said. (umn.edu)
  • Starting with tooth samples from nine ancient individuals buried in a Russian tomb in the Smara region, Spyrou and colleagues identified two Y. pestis -infected individuals, who appeared to belong to the Srubnaya culture based on their own genetic profiles. (genomeweb.com)
  • [ 2 ] Three biovars (with minor genetic variations) have been identified within the Y pestis clone: Antiqua, Medievalis, and Orientalis. (medscape.com)
  • Dogs are less likely to be ill, but they can still bring plague-infected fleas into the home. (cdc.gov)
  • Plague-infected rat flea. (umn.edu)
  • Preventive measures include informing people when zoonotic plague is present in their environment and advising them to take precautions against flea bites, and not to handle animal carcasses. (who.int)