The Black Death is described in more than one form, the version with the bubos is just one.
The viral was another form, and was descibed(rather vividly)in historical documents.(people died of the viral form ALOT faster than they did with the bubos form...*alot* faster..)
This is simple re-hashing of an old theory with new documentation...
'The bubonic plague was the most commonly seen form during the Black Death, with a mortality rate of thirty to seventy-five percent and symptoms including fever of 38 - 41 °C (101-105 °F)(sic). The pneumonic plague was the second most commonly seen form during the Black Death, with a mortality rate of ninety to ninety-five percent. (sic) Septicaemic plague was the most rare of the three forms, with mortality close to one hundred percent.' - Wikipedia entry on Black Death. Pneumonic plague is the viral version, and while not as common as Bubonic, it was far more deadly.
IMHO, the article (especially the headline and first paragraph) inaccurately summarized the point of the research - the researchers are questioning whether the Black Death was bubonic plague (infection caused by Yersinia pestis), not whether the Y. pestis vector (fleas carried by rats) was to blame for the transmission.
Actually, this question is nothing new. Y. pestis/bubonic plague was considered to be the most likely culprit based on the epidemiologic evidence (infection patterns, virulence) and symptoms. It's also possible that The Black Death was a combination of simultaneous outbreaks of multiple diseases. (Some diseases have synergistic effects with others.)
Btw, pneumonic just means that the lungs have been infected. Septicemic means that the blood has been infected - by bacteria, using the classic definition. Y. pestis is known to cause bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms of a plague (people are still infected by this every year). The question is whether it caused THE plague. :)
Everyone's so damn serious. :p I was just amused it came up again and thought it was fun taking the rat's voice.
Good info though, thanks.
I often wonder if we're better off having all number of fatal malady cataloged just so. In ages past, when people died of "consumption" it could have been anything, but at least others were likely to feel a connection. When someone croaks for some particular thing that no one's ever heard of, it seems almost lonely.
One of my pet peeves is when journalists screw up reporting science - so I do my best to combat disinformation. Plus, I rarely get to use my microbio background now that I'm a writer. Outbreaks are fun, in a "hey, cool!" kind of way. *grins*
For the record, I was very amused by your post - the article just annoyed me. :)
I completely understand. The last few years have been rough for the scientifically minded. To be honest, it's hard for me to get worked up over questionably reported "research" anymore. Of course, some Intelligent Design arguments still make me twitch...
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The Black Death is described in more than one form, the version with the bubos is just one.
The viral was another form, and was descibed(rather vividly)in historical documents.(people died of the viral form ALOT faster than they did with the bubos form...*alot* faster..)
This is simple re-hashing of an old theory with new documentation...
'The bubonic plague was the most commonly seen form during the Black Death, with a mortality rate of thirty to seventy-five percent and symptoms including fever of 38 - 41 °C (101-105 °F)(sic). The pneumonic plague was the second most commonly seen form during the Black Death, with a mortality rate of ninety to ninety-five percent. (sic) Septicaemic plague was the most rare of the three forms, with mortality close to one hundred percent.' - Wikipedia entry on Black Death. Pneumonic plague is the viral version, and while not as common as Bubonic, it was far more deadly.
But still neat where they found the new sources!
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Actually, this question is nothing new. Y. pestis/bubonic plague was considered to be the most likely culprit based on the epidemiologic evidence (infection patterns, virulence) and symptoms. It's also possible that The Black Death was a combination of simultaneous outbreaks of multiple diseases. (Some diseases have synergistic effects with others.)
Btw, pneumonic just means that the lungs have been infected. Septicemic means that the blood has been infected - by bacteria, using the classic definition. Y. pestis is known to cause bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms of a plague (people are still infected by this every year). The question is whether it caused THE plague. :)
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Good info though, thanks.
I often wonder if we're better off having all number of fatal malady cataloged just so. In ages past, when people died of "consumption" it could have been anything, but at least others were likely to feel a connection. When someone croaks for some particular thing that no one's ever heard of, it seems almost lonely.
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For the record, I was very amused by your post - the article just annoyed me. :)
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It's the article and it's dis-information-ness that had me going, what is so new about that?!?
*nodsnods*