The Plague

Paper Summary:

This paper focuses primarily on "the" plague, which caused thousands of deaths throughout Europe during the 6th and 14th centuries and which currently remains a public health problem. In addition, the author discusses six modern plagues, such as the west Nile virus and AIDS. The author describes the three types of traditional plague, as well as the treatment, locations, control and preventative medication for plagues. The author also reviews the use of the plague as a biological weapon.

Table of Contents:
From the Past to the Future
A Purported Persistent Problem
"Strange New Disease"
West Nile Virus
Six Modern Plagues
Mad Cow Disease
HIV/AIDS
Hantavirus
Lyme
New Strain of Salmonella
Contributing Causes of "Modern Plagues" Considered
The Plague, per se
Three Forms of Plague
Bubonic Plague
Septicemic Plague
Pneumonic Plague
Treatment Regime
Plague around the World
Control Considerations
Preventative Medication
Plague as a Biological Weapon?

From the Paper:

"A confirmed plague diagnosis triggers reporting requirements to certain health departments, including the Centers for Disease Control, which in turn, reports plague incidents to the World Health Organization. Diagnostic tests to confirm plague include: a complete blood count, a urinalysis, arterial blood gas, peripheral smear looking for Y pestis coccobaccilus, gram stain, cultures of blood, sputum, and bubo aspirate, chest radiography, specialized diagnostic testing, a F1 antigen rapid diagnostic test, Y pestis fluorescent antibody stain, and a Y pestis fluorescent antibody titer."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Adler, Robert E. Medical Firsts: From Hippocrates to the Human Genome. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2004.
• Aguirre, A. Alonso, Richard S. Ostfeld, Gary M. Tabor, Carol House, and Mary C. Pearl. Conservation Medicine: Ecological Health in Practice. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 2002.
• Pommerville, I, Jeffrey C and Alcamo, Edward. Alcamo's Fundamentals of Microbiology. Sudbury MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
• Anderson, Rick. Home Front : The Government's War on Soldiers /. Atlanta: Clarity Press, 2004.
• Keyes, Daniel C. Medical Response to Terrorism: Preparedness and Clinical Practice. New York, NY: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2004.

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