Plague is a disease that affects humans and other mammals. It is caused by the bacterium, Yersinia pestis. Humans usually get plague after being bitten by a ...SkipdirectlytositecontentSkipdirectlytopageoptionsSkipdirectlytoA-ZlinkPlagueSectionNavigationCDCHomeFacebookTwitterLinkedInSyndicatePlagueMinusRelatedPagesPlagueTransmission...LearnmorePlagueisadiseasethataffectshumansandothermammals.Itiscausedbythebacterium,Yersiniapestis.Humansusuallygetplagueafterbeingbittenbyarodentfleathatiscarryingtheplaguebacteriumorbyhandlingananimalinfectedwithplague.PlagueisinfamousforkillingmillionsofpeopleinEuropeduringtheMiddleAges.Today,modernantibioticsareeffectiveintreatingplague.Withoutprompttreatment,thediseasecancauseseriousillnessordeath.Presently,humanplagueinfectionscontinuetooccurinruralareasinthewesternUnitedStates,butsignificantlymorecasesoccurinpartsofAfricaandAsia.EcologyandTransmissionHowplagueistransmitted...SymptomsImportantsignsandsymptomsofplague...DiagnosisandTreatmentWhattoexpectfromyourphysician...InformationforHealthcareProfessionalsAnswersforclinicians,publichealthofficials,andveterinarians...MapsandStatisticsDistributionofplague,numberofcasesandmore...PreventionTipsforpeoplelivinginareaswithplague...BioterrorismHowCDCandotherfederalagenciesprepare...ResourcesScientificreferencesandotherlinks...FrequentlyAskedQuestionsAnswerstothemostcommoninquiries...RelatedLinksNEW!MMWR,AntimicrobialTreatmentandProphylaxisofPlagueFactSheetEnglishpdficon[PDF–2pages]Spanishpdficon[PDF–2pages]MMWR,HumanPlague—UnitedStates,2015Humanplague:Transmissionfrompersontopersonpdficon[PDF–2pages]Podcast:AnimalExposureandHumanPlaguePodcast:EpidemiologyofHumanPlagueintheUnitedStates,1900–2012USGSNationalWildlifeHealthCenter:Plague,2012externaliconCDCEmergencyPreparednessandResponsePagelastreviewed:August6,2021Contentsource:CentersforDiseaseControlandPrevention,NationalCenterforEmergingandZoonoticInfectiousDiseases(NCEZID),DivisionofVector-BorneDiseases(DVBD)homePlagueHomeEcology&Trans