Bubonic (bubo- meaning swollen lymph nodes) occurs when we are in the lymphatic system. We reside in the white blood cells of the blood stream, but we use the lymph nodes for a nursery because they are the one place in the body safe from the immune system. Because of our large numbers in those areas, the lymph nodes get swollen.
If large numbers of us travel to the respiratory system and take up residence in the lungs, Pneumonic Plague is contracted. This is an extremely lethal form of the plague with a mortality rate of almost one hundred percent. It is also worse than Bubonic Plague because it is transmittable from human to human without direct contact. Inhalation of fine droplets into the lungs is enough for us to take up residence.
Lastly Speticemic Plague is when the lymph nodes infected in Bubonic Plague become septic and the rarest for of the plague caused by us, the Yersinia Pestis bacteria. This occurs when we begin to multiply in the blood, causing bacterium and the creation of tiny blood clots and sometimes even ischaemic necrosis (death of tissue due to lack of blood). We show our best colours in this form as without treatment within 24 hours death is inevitable, and it is even possible for a person to die on the same day they contract this plague.
As you can see we have a lot of work to do if we want to be an exemplary group of bacteria... can we do it? Yes we can!
- Yersinia Pestis
