On 5/10, international media reported the death of a female technician in Russia, suspected of exposure to plague bacteria. This sparked concerns about pneumonic plague. However, Russian officials later stated the cause of death was "pneumonia of unknown etiology" and found no plague bacteria in the samples. International health organizations are monitoring the incident, while Russia maintains a stable epidemiological situation with no signs of an outbreak.

According to BBC, plague is a serious infectious disease caused by Yersinia pestis bacteria. It manifests in three main forms: bubonic plague, which affects the lymphatic system; septicemic plague, which impacts the circulatory system; and pneumonic plague. Among these, pneumonic plague is the most dangerous form. It attacks the lungs, causing symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, and coughing blood.

Illustrative photo: Kirill Zykov/Moskva News Agency

This form is also the only one capable of direct human-to-human transmission via bacteria-laden droplets when an infected person coughs. Additionally, an individual can develop pneumonic plague if other forms of the disease progress and spread to the lungs.

Professor Piero Olliaro, an infectious disease expert at the University of Oxford, highlights that Yersinia pestis bacteria persist in natural reservoirs among wild animals across the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Africa. Approximately 200 rodent species carry this bacteria, leading to scattered human cases annually.

Short incubation, high mortality without treatment

Pneumonic plague has a very short incubation period, sometimes within just 24 hours. Health experts warn that without timely diagnosis and treatment, the mortality rate is very high. Doctor Malick Gibani, a clinical professor of Bacterial Vaccines at Imperial College London, stated the disease can cause rapid death if left untreated.

Positively, Yersinia pestis bacteria respond well to antibiotics when treated early. Individuals at high risk of exposure may also receive prophylactic antibiotics or undergo isolation measures.

Doctor Zania Stamataki, a professor of viral immunology at the University of Birmingham, emphasizes that laboratory research on plague is essential. Diagnosis, vaccine development, and monitoring antibiotic resistance all require laboratories to maintain and study live bacterial strains. She explains this work is vital for preparing to respond to outbreaks.

Binh Minh (According to BBC, CNN)