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Yersinia Pestis in Fleas
Introduction
Yersinia Pestis (also known as the Black Death) is a gram-negative coccobacillus that is transmitted by rodent fleas to animal hosts including humans. The bacterium is highly contagious, and humans can be infected by handling an infected animal, getting bitten by an infected rodent flea, or inhaling an aerosol from an infected animal or human (1).
To observe this bacterium, you can use a Wayson or Giemsa stain as well as Gram stain under light microscopy (1). In Wayson staining, Y. pestis appears as light blue bacilli with dark blue polar bodies. You can also use direct fluorescent antibody testing for observations of the bacteria. Identification of Y. pestis can be made by conducting a polymerase chain reaction assay (1).
There are three types of widespread plaques that Yersinia Pestis can cause: Pneumonic, bubonic, and septicemic. In the U.S. bubonic is the most common. Incubation period for bubonic plague is typically longer than for pneumonic plaque. Pneumonic starts as flulike illness but quickly progresses to high fever, chest pain, cough, dyspnea, and hemoptysis. Shock also often occurs, and white blood cell count is significantly elevated. In later stages pf the disease, disseminated intravascular coagulation can occur. Chest radiographs can be used in pneumonic plaque to reveal bilateral lower lobe alveolar opacities. Septicemic mostly involves patients showing signs of septic shock (1).
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Legend/credit: Electron micrograph of the Ebola Zaire virus. This was the first photo ever taken of the virus, on 10/13/1976. By Dr. F.A. Murphy, now at U.C. Davis, then at the CDC.
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Genome
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Life Cycle
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Use in Bioterrorism
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Conclusion
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References
Edited by student of Joan Slonczewski for BIOL 238 Microbiology, 2009, Kenyon College.
