Yersinia pestis
Bubonic plague bacterium
Yersinia pestis is the bacterium that causes plague—the disease responsible for the Black Death pandemic that killed roughly a third of Europe's population in the 14th century.
The pathogen spreads primarily through flea bites from infected rodents, producing bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic forms of the disease.
Though plague now responds to antibiotics, Yersinia pestis remains a potential bioterrorism agent.
Of groin-node swellings
- pneumonicOf the lungs
- septicemicHaving bloodstream infection
- buboesInflamed lymph node enlargements
- lymphadenitisSwollen, infected nodes
fever · chills · necrosis · septicemia · gangrene · symptoms · incubation · mortality
Long and cylindrical
- bacillusCylindrical bacterial cell
- plasmidSelf-replicating DNA circle
- genomicsStudy of entire genetic sequences
- cultivationFostering growth through care
microbiology · phylogenetics · biofilm · cell wall · flagella · petri dish · microscopy · staining
Medieval bubonic plague pandemic
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
- Silk RoadHistoric transcontinental trade network
plague doctor · mass graves · depopulation · social upheaval · flagellants
Blood-drinking jumping pest
- ratRodent or informer
- vectorQuantity with direction
- zoonosisAnimal-to-human disease transmission
- reservoirLarge water storage basin
rodent · bite · prairie dog · marmot · ground squirrel · host · carrier · inhalation
Capacity to cause disease
- toxinBiological-origin harm agent
- endotoxinBacterial wall toxin
- cytotoxicityHarmfulness to living cells
- invasionForcible entry into territory
host cell · pathogenesis · infectivity · lethality · capsule
Pathogen engineered for warfare
- bioweaponPathogen deployed as armament
- weaponizationMaking something harmful
- biosecurityProtection against biological threats
- biodefenseProtection from biological attacks
aerosolized · detection · decontamination · mass casualty · biological warfare
Bacteria-destroying medicines
- streptomycinAminoglycoside antibiotic for TB
- doxycyclineTetracycline-class antimicrobial medication
- ciprofloxacinFluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent
- prophylaxisPreventive medical treatment
early intervention · hospitalization · isolation · supportive care · antibiotic resistance · vaccination · public health response · contact tracing
bubonic
Of groin-node swellings
- pneumonicOf the lungs
- septicemicHaving bloodstream infection
- buboesInflamed lymph node enlargements
lymphadenitis · fever · chills · necrosis · septicemia · gangrene · symptoms · incubation · mortality · fatality
rod-shaped
Long and cylindrical
- bacillusCylindrical bacterial cell
- plasmidSelf-replicating DNA circle
- genomicsStudy of entire genetic sequences
cultivation · microbiology · phylogenetics · biofilm · cell wall · flagella · petri dish · microscopy · staining · isolation
Black Death
Medieval bubonic plague pandemic
- medievalOf the Middle Ages
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- ConstantinopleHistoric Turkish metropolis
Silk Road · plague doctor · mass graves · depopulation · social upheaval · flagellants
flea
Blood-drinking jumping pest
reservoir · rodent · bite · prairie dog · marmot · ground squirrel · host · carrier · inhalation · droplet
virulence
Capacity to cause disease
- toxinBiological-origin harm agent
- endotoxinBacterial wall toxin
- cytotoxicityHarmfulness to living cells
invasion · host cell · pathogenesis · infectivity · lethality · capsule
biological weapon
Pathogen engineered for warfare
- bioweaponPathogen deployed as armament
- weaponizationMaking something harmful
- biosecurityProtection against biological threats
aerosolized · biodefense · detection · decontamination · mass casualty · biological warfare
antibiotics
Bacteria-destroying medicines
- streptomycinAminoglycoside antibiotic for TB
- doxycyclineTetracycline-class antimicrobial medication
- ciprofloxacinFluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent
prophylaxis · early intervention · hospitalization · isolation · supportive care · antibiotic resistance · vaccination · public health response · contact tracing
- Black Deathbubonic plague, Black Death, plague doctors, buboes, fleas
- Plaguebubonic plague, pneumonic plague, Black Death, buboes, plague doctors
- plague historyBlack Death, bubonic plague, pneumonic plague, plague doctor, plague mask
- plaguesBlack Death, bubonic plague, Black Plague, plague doctor, plague mask
- Flea Diseasesbubonic plague
Yersinia pestisinfluenza virus
Pathogen causing seasonal respiratory illness
HIV · SARS-CoV-2 · Ebola virus · rabies virus · virus
Yersinia pestispenicillin
Fungus-derived infection fighter
streptomycin · Alexander Fleming · antibiotic · antibiotics · vaccine