RUSSIA'S 'PLAGUE' OUTBREAK

sky news RUSSIA'S 'PLAGUE' OUTBREAK sky news A 28-year-old laboratory technician who worked at a plague research institute in Siberia has died after accidentally breaking a test tube, according to reports. She died of "pneumonia of unknown etiology" or origin, according to Russia's consumer welfare service. Almost 200 people who had been in contact with her are now being observed sky news WHAT IS THE PLAGUE? It is a potentially life-threatening disease caused by a bacteria called Yersinia pestis. It caused the Black Death in the 14th century, killing between a third and half of Europe's population. It comes in different forms including... sky news BUBONIC VS PNEUMONIC Spread by bites of infected fleas Causes painful swelling under skin More common than pneumonic Travels through the lymphatic system to the nearest lymph node, causing inflammation Human-to-human transmission rare More deadly version, which Russian woman is believed to have had Occurs from direct inhalation or when bubonic advances and spreads to lungs Highly contagious Spreads between people via respiratory particles Often fatal if untreated sky news PNEUMONIC PLAGUE SYMPTOMS Chest pain and shortness of breath Fever and headache Cough and sometimes bloody mucous sky news HOW DEADLY IS IT? The World Health Organisation says pneumonic plague can be fatal within 18 to 24 hours of disease onset if left untreated. But common antibiotics for enterobacteria can effectively cure the disease if they are given early sky news This case here seems like a rare lab accident and is unlikely to go much further. Although it is true that pneumonic plague is directly transmissible, the contacts of the primary case are known and can be treated if they show any sign of infection Professor of Virology at the University of Reading Ian Jones