Should we be afraid of the plague ? The point in 9 issues

DURAND FLORENCE/SIPA

Published the 18.10.2017 at 13: 30

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Y a-t-he other case today in other countries ?

YLD :

The latest data from the WHO are a little bit cold in the back, and suggests that this terrible disease does not belong to the past. Each year in the world, approximately 600 people are affected. According to the latest figures from the world Health Organization, from 2010 to 2015, we recorded 3 248 cases of plague in the world, including 584 deaths.

This is not like smallpox, which has been completely wiped off the map ?

YLD :

Yes, it is ! But cholera and polio are still there, and as to these diseases, cases of plague appear especially in places unhealthy, and associated with a great misery. Today, it is in Africa, for example in the democratic Republic of the Congo, and also Madagascar that the illness strikes the most.

But several developed countries such as the United States or Russia regularly report new outbreaks of the plague.

What would this mean ? It is the gateway to Europe and that we risk something ?

YLD :

Currently, western Europe is spared, but it is not at the shelter, because the plague reappears in countries where it had disappeared completely, sometimes for over 80 years. For example, it is returned to Algeria, where there had not been since the famous plague described by Camus in Oran (1944-45) ; idem in Jordan.

But in France ? Marseilles, for example, when it was ?

YLD :

This date of 3 centuries ago ! Between 1720-1723, the plague of Marseilles and its region had done nearly 120,000 dead on the 400 000 people that the region had at this time.

But the last case French is not buried in history since it is located in Corsica in 1945. Therefore, this risk is not absolutely excluded in the Hexagon.

Why this re-emergence ?

YLD :

One explanation could be the decrease in the vigilance over the years. As a country knows itself to be infected by the plague, many surveillance measures are put in place and treatment antibiotics are available. With these precautions, the epidemic does not. But as the cases become rare, some countries let their guard down.

It also discusses the global warming. Several studies have shown that changes in temperature could promote the development of the animal reservoir and its expansion.

This animal reservoir, as you say, these are the rats ? The plague still remains associated with the misery ?

YLD :

And a bacterium ! Yersinia Pestis, the name of its discoverer Alexandre Yersin.

This bacteria often lives in the blood of mammals, including rats. But they are not the only vectors : there is also a chip that sucked the infected blood in the rodent, which would transfer the bacterium to Humans through its bites.

In cases of recurrence of the plague, come to the human migrations, and mainly the international trade. They could help the bacteria to end up in the West.

What are the symptoms of the plague ?

YLD :

The first symptoms appear more or less quickly, from a few hours to five days after the contamination.

The bubonic plague is the most common (80% to 93%). It is manifested by high fever, poor general condition and an increase in volume of the lymph node that drains the area of the sting of the chip. The lymph node enlarged and painful is called bubo. It may suppurate, and then heal. In other cases, the disease progresses to septicemia, which is a generalized infection, or to lung damage, fatal in a few days… and very contagious. This is what happened in Madagascar.

We have a treatment ?

YLD :

Yes, fortunately the plague bacillus is always susceptible to antibiotics, which helped with the measures of hygiene not to have these terrible waves of epidemic. But it is necessary to have access to these drugs, which is not always the case in some regions. Hence the persistence of foci.

The solution lies in the vaccine ?

YLD :

Several vaccines against plague have been developed over the years, but they have serious side effects. In addition, they have no effect on the pneumonic plague.

A team from the Institut Pasteur has already obtained very promising results on a vaccine potential, but due to lack of funding, it is impossible for the time being to test it in humans. The industrialists are not interested in this market of the plague which continues to be weak, I must admit.

In conclusion, don’t panic, a plague is not for tomorrow, but the disease has not disappeared.