How Did The Yersinia Pestis Bacteria Form Different Types Of The Plague?

Yersinia pestis bacteria may form different types of the plague; bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic. The bubonic plague is the most common form of yersinia pestis that attacks and infects the lymphatic system of the organisms, once resulting to one-third to one-half of the Europeans population wiped out in the year 1347. The lymphatic system works closely with the immune system, therefore the bacteria is incredibly harmful for the whole body. (http://www.ukessays.co.uk/essays/biology/bubonic-plague.php) The bubonic plague is a disease most commonly carried by the fleas that live on rodents. A single bite from an infected flea is enough to transfer the deadly bacteria to a new host, invading its body systems.

History of the plague

The plague
The rodents were infected with starving fleas that carried the infectious bacteria. These fleas can turn to humans as a food source and at the same time, transmitting the bacteria which then infects the human with transmission of blood. Yersinia attacks cells particularly in the immune system, crippling them by injecting toxins right across the cell membrane using an injection apparatus called a Type III Secretion System. There are six toxins injected that are called Y.O.P.S (Yersinia Outer membrane Proteins) (http://www.endocytosis.org/Black_Plague/). The bubonic plague has distinctive symptoms, the most prominent sign of this bacterial disease is the tenderness and swelling of the lymph nodes (a lymph is apart of the lymphatic system that transports liquid throughout our body, other than our blood circulation) that are found in the neck, armpit and groin (http://www.ukessays.co.uk/essays/biology/bubonic-plague.php refrenced: Kugler, 2008). These swellings are referred to as buboes and occur when the bacteria is multiplying within the lymphatic system. Symptoms of the Bubonic plague show up within two days of bacterial inhabitation of the hosts body (http://www.ukessays.co.uk/essays/biology/bubonic-plague.php refrenced: Schoenstadt 2006). The bubonic plague causes patients to experience excruciating pain in their skin as a result of hemorrhages and ruptured capillaries. The skin is decomposing
The mortality rate if untreated it between 50-90%, but if the patient is diagnosed and treated, mortality rate is 15%. Scientists have researched to great depth to find the cause of the bacteria. When the Yersinia pestis attacks a cell, it uses the type III pathway, causing a needle like projection, injecting toxins into the cell, destroying it. Researchers used this information and provided these bacterias with an addition enzyme. This enzyme can snip the green dye into two pieces, when this happens, the cells are exposed to fluorescent light, turning them to blue instead of green. This enables scientists to identify the cells types targeted by the deadly bacteria. Two days after mice were infected, their spleens were filled with the infectious bacteria. The cells in the immune system were the first to respond to the bacterial invasion (http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/2005/20050728-plague.html). "This is a very clever system for this particular kind of bacteria," said Schneewind. Once the researchers found a solid scientific cause to the bubonic plague, they were able to make drugs that cured infected patients. Olaf Schneewind, professor at GLRCE said "It's the most virulent bacterial organism known to mankind. But we now know a little more about how it exercises those powers and we think we can use that knowledge to prepare a preemptive strike." This quote explains