Pathogenesis (disease development)
Plague is caused by the gram-negative bacterium Yersinia pestis. The natural reservoir of the plague bacterium is rodents, especially rats, and their fleas.
Etiology (Causes)
Behavioral causes
- Bite of infected fleas
- Direct contact with infected persons
- Contact with contaminated soil, excrement
- Contact with contaminated animal carcasses
- Inhalation of infected material (pneumonic plague)
- Direct human-to-human transmission via infected aerosols (pneumonic plague).
- Consumption of infected material
