Plague: The Black Death

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Plague (known as The Black Death during the medieval times) was a bacterial infection that swept through Europe and Asia between the 14th and 17th centuries. Plague originated in Central Asia in the 1300's and reached Italy through trade routes in 1345. By 1348 the disease had reached England and was vastly spreading across Europe. The disease was transmitted by fleas that lived on small rodents and it spread throughout Europe and Asia by traders and crusaders on boats.

There were three different types of plague, each with their own very severe symptoms. The most common type was Bubonic Plague which was an infection of the lymphatic system. Bubonic Plague was named after the buboes (swollen lymph nodes) that developed around the armpit, groin and neck with the disease. Along with buboes, infected people also developed gangrene on the extremities, high fever, chills, headaches, muscle cramps, etc. Bubonic Plague was spread when someone was bitten by an animal or flea and came into contact with the plague bacteria, or when someone came into direct contact with an infected animal. Thi...

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