Bubonic Plague: Understanding a Historic Disease Still Present in Africa

The Plague Is Not Ancient History

Yersinia pestis — the bacterium that caused the Black Death — is still circulating in rodent populations across Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Madagascar reports hundreds of cases annually. While Nigeria has not had confirmed cases in recent decades, the conditions that enable plague transmission — rat-dense environments, inadequate waste management, and close human-rodent contact — are present in many Nigerian communities.

How Plague Spreads

Plague is primarily a disease of rodents. Humans are accidental hosts, typically infected by flea bites from infected rats. Three forms: bubonic plague (swollen, painful lymph nodes — 30–60% mortality untreated); septicaemic plague (bacteria in the bloodstream); and pneumonic plague (lung infection — spreads person-to-person; 100% fatal without prompt treatment).

Prevention in the Nigerian Context

• Rodent control in homes and food storage areas
• Avoid handling dead rats or animals
• Use insect repellent to prevent flea bites
• Report unusual rat die-offs to health authorities

Plague is treated with streptomycin, gentamicin, or doxycycline — all available in Nigeria — and is curable when caught early. FXMed's Immune Support Programme builds the immune resilience to fight infections when they occur.