Read the article on the Justinian Plague
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/01/29/267598868/ancient-plagues-dna-revived-from-a-1-500-year-old-tooth
Discuss how the plague has changed (strain, method of transmission) over time (from the Justinian plague, the black death, and today). Is the plague still a threat to us? Discuss
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ReplyDeleteThere have been many epidemics in the world but none has been more deadly than the black death. In 541 CE to 544 CE the disease was first found during the Byzantine Empire and it was known as the Justinian Plague. The reason why this disease killed millions of millions of people is because rodents who were bacterially infected would spread the plague and when the rats would die, the disease would spread to a new host. The Black Death in the mid 1300's was very similar to the Justinian plague in 541 CE. The disease would be spread by rodents and would kill millions and millions of people but, the only difference was that it spreaded to different countries. Sailors would catch the disease over seas and then bring the disease back to their country. The reason why this disease was so effective was because we didn't have the proper research and advanced medical knowledge we know today. The plague is not a threat today because we have the medical knowledge and medicine to cure disease like this today.
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ReplyDeleteOriginally, the disease started out as a bacteria strain that thrived inside of the flea. These fleas would then latch on to rats, which would transmit it to humans. Most notably, the bacteria is linked with the Black Death of the 14th century; however, the same bacterial strain was found in a recent discovery of a 1500 year old skeleton. This skeleton happened to be a victim of the same plague when it was known as the Justinian Plague. As it evolved, it came back to thrive a lot more dangerously in the era of the Bubonic Plague (Black Death). The reason that it thrived more, though, was because once a human was infected in the more populated 1300's, the disease could spread from person to person easily. As a result the disease caused up to 500 million deaths total. The disease is obviously still around today, as the bacterial strain was recently found, but with the modern medicinal research that we have, the threat is not as real as it was back then.
ReplyDelete50 million?
DeleteThe two plagues were very similar ( Black Death and justinan). They were both caused by the virus (Yersinia Pestis) and were transmitted through rats and fleas contaminating and infecting the citizens resources. However, there still have been differences between the two. During the time of Justinians plague there was basically no medical knowledge of anything complex and especially not cures for anything. As we moved on and were in the time of the Black Plague, there was minimal medical research being done but we still were able to have an understanding of the symptoms relations to each other and how some happened. However, we still had no cures basically. Anything complex was still up for grabs to solve. Living in this time currently, our medical field has come an amazingly long way and now all we would have to do if we got this strain of bacteria (which is rare but can happen) is catch it in time and get Antibiotics to kill the Bactria from doing damage to your body. Because we have made such great medical advances, this caused the different paths the few plagues took. Also, due to the new information of the genome from the prior plagues, we can work to make vaccinations and ways to prevent these awful things from happening in the future.
ReplyDeleteThe plague took place in the year 541; Rome was under the reign of Emperor Justinian at the time, so that’s why it’s often referred to as “The Justinian Plague.” Scientists’ thought that the cause of this plague was a bacterium called “Yersinia pestis.” The bacteria was spread by fleas, and after someone got infected with a flea bite, the microbes in the bacteria would start spreading throughout the person’s body—making it impossible to stop. The same kind of bacteria was found in victims that died during The Black Death epidemic, which took place around the year 1347. Nearly 1,500 years later after studying the blood inside The Black Death Victims teeth, a team of international scientists traced back the bacteria’s journey. They think the bacteria, Yersinia pestis, jumped from rodents into humans, and then eventually died out. Which means that the two epidemics weren’t exactly related even though the same bacteria caused them. The Justinian Plague and The Black Death both trace back to China as the original source of the outbreaks. As rats, fleas, and people moved around the world, they took the bacteria with them. Even today this strain of bacteria is still found in places like Arizona, however; the plague isn’t a threat to us anymore due to how many advances we’ve made in medicine.
ReplyDeleteThe bubonic plague, or more commonly known as the black death, was one of the most widespread epidemics in the world. The plague was first introduced to the Roman empire in 541 CE, coining the term the Justinian plague. The plague is said to have come from China and traveled to Europe from trading. The bacteria had latched onto rodents, which was transmitted to humans by either a rodent bite, or if the bacteria latched onto humans as a host once the rodent died. Once humans became infected with the plague, it was able to spread at a very rapid rate because of common contact, and the high amounts of people dying, once again causing the bacteria to find a new host. The Justinian plague lasted from 541 CE until 544 CE. The next outburst of the black death occurred in the mid 1300s in Europe, and also lasted about three years. The black death had the similar methods of bacteria transmission as the Justinian plague; however, it had spread to different countries. This plague was responsible for about 75 million deaths in Europe, due to lack of scientific and medical advances in preventing and curing the plague. The bubonic plague is no longer a major threat because of vaccines and other medical methods of preventing the plague. Though some rare cases of people contracting the plague still show up in today's society, modern medicine is able to treat it quickly and efficiently, thus preventing any spreading of the plague.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing a very nice job of summarizing the findings of the article. I do want to clarify a common misconception: vaccines work on viruses and antibiotics work on bacteria. As you guys have stated the plague was a bacteria (which has not changed much since Justinian's time). What I find really scary is that many bacteria are evolving antibiotic resistance (MRSA for example).
ReplyDeleteThe first wave of the Black Death began in the late 1340s. The disease spread rapidly, and people understood very little about it, although they did associate it with rats. The infection which spread along trade routes from Central Asia, and killed 75 million people. In five short years of the Black Plague, it killed between 25 and 45% of the populations it encountered. It would be the worst natural disaster and the single most destructive natural phenomenon in the history of the world. Bacteria and viruses were largely unknown to doctors, so they did not have any vaccines or medicines to prevent plague. By the mid 14th century, a complex trading network connecting Asia to the Middle East and to all of Europe spread migrating rats and their parasitic fleas across most of the world. The Black Death was actually a combination of three plagues from three bacterial strains: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic. No matter which form of the plague you got, plague resulted in a horrible and agonizing death. The first documented plague lasted from 541 to 544 CE, and was known as The Plague of Justinian. The Plague of Justinian originated in East Africa and spread to the Middle East. Expanded trading networks assured that the next onslaughts of the plague would be even more deadly. The plague continued to strike the world over and over again, revisiting Europe into the 18th century and Asia and Africa into the 20th century. Because people lost all hope when the plague was rapidly spreading, they relied on religion. The two main religions, Christianity and Islamic, predominated in this region of the world. I think that the plague is still not a threat to us because of all the modern medicine that we have today, and how much medical professionals know about bacterias and viruses. If doctors had the knowledge of bacterias and viruses back then, I think the plague wouldn't have had such a great effect on this region of the world, and wouldn't have spread rapidly.
ReplyDeleteThe Black Death, or the bubonic plague, struck the world for the first time in 541 causing massive destruction including the death of 50 million people. It hit the globe once again in the mid-1300s, causing the death of around 75 million people. These two plagues were very similar; they were two of the most destructive natural phenomenon the world has ever known. Both plagues were a strain of the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Each disease had a massive effect on the Eastern part of he world, originating in China and spreading the parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and essentially the greater part of the middle east. Trade routes were the main path of this disease and it quickly spread due to the infection of flea bites. The bacteria strains lived in the fleas which hosted on rats, and then humans. The buboes were the swellings that covered the infected bodies and once you had gotten this disease, your chances of living were slim to none.
ReplyDeletePlague is certainly still a threat today, as we see it in some parts of the world and especially in Arizona. However, advancements in medicine and technology, as well as changes in human culture, have caused the threat to not be as strong because there are ways of stopping or controlling plague if there ever was an outbreak. Antibiotics are an important medical advancement because they can stop the plague in its tracks if it were ever to break out again. However, the plague has not been exterminated from the Earth yet, so it is still a threat to human life.
The Black Death or the Plague, hit the world for the first time in 541, causing one of the most deadly pandemics in history nearly 1,500 years ago. The plague killed over 75 million people and soon the plague returned to Europe in many subsequent outbreaks until the 1700s. Known as the Plague of Justinian, scholars believe it originated in East Africa and spread to the Middle East and the Plague of Justinian weakened the Byzantine Empire. Although the causes of the plague are still debated by historians today, most believe the Black Death was caused by bacterial strains. The strains lived inside of the rat’s stomachs, particularly the black rats. By the mid-14th century a complex trading network connecting Asia and to the Middle East where all the rats started spreading the plague to the humans. The Black Death was actually three plagues from three different bacteria strains: bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemia. These three strains, no matter which form, plague results in a horrible and agonizing death. The plague most definitely has a threat in our world today, as we seen it still in Arizona. However, scientists have created all new technology and medicine to have the plague not surface into our bodies again. The scientists are still trying to figure out a way to cure the plague and get it out of our world. Also, due to the new research they found blood in the teeth of the death victims killed by the plague. The disease could be a new kind of form of the plague that can take over the world and take out the whole population.
ReplyDeleteGood point..diseases do continue to mutate
DeleteIn 541, a plaque struck the Roman Empire, killing up to 50 million people. The Justinian plaque broke out under the reign of the Roman Emperor Justinian. This plaque was caused by a strain of bacteria spread by fleas. The fleas would infect people by biting them and the microbes would then travel to the lymph nodes. The multiplication of microbes in the lymph node would cause a mass swelling and form what is known as a buboe. This was a bubonic plague that caused one of the most deadly pandemics in history.
ReplyDeleteThe Great plague, or Black plague brought fear among Europe. In 5 short years, it killed between 25% and 45% of the population it came in contact with. This plague was caused by bacterial strains like the Justinian plague. However, there were three types of the Black plague. Unlike the Justinian plague that was bubonic, the Black plague was either bubonic, pneumonic, or septicemic. Each resulted in agonizing deaths. These bacterial strains were also spread by fleas. These please traveled by black rats. When the rats were infected, they would die and the fleas would look for another host--a human. In some cases the plague was in the air. The pneumonic plague then infected the respiratory system.
This plague had been going on for many years. After the Black Death happened, it was not done. In the eighteenth century, it attacked Europe once again and then in the twentieth century, it struck in Asia and Africa. This type of bacterial strain is similar to those we see in modern day. For example, there are ones that circulate in Arizona. There is no doubt that there could be another pandemic, however, we would be able to stop it before it got serious by using antibiotics. Even though we believe it to not be a threat due to the fact that we have antibiotics, we should not take the idea of a new pandemic lightly.
The "Black Death" in the 1300's was a devastating plague that swept across Europe, killing up to 50 million people. But can it happen again? Scientists have been able to find remnants of the disease in many plague victims' teeth, and it isn't any surprise that somewhere in the world some organization has it on ice for research or various other reasons. I'm not sure if the bubonic, septicemic, or pneumonic plague would specifically be a problem, but it isn't outside the realm of possibilities that some secret organization has created some form of biological weapon. In short, we aren't in much danger of the bubonic plague, but other plagues may be an issue.
ReplyDeleteWeaponizing the plague? interesting...does anyone else agree that this could happen?
DeleteThe Justinian Plague of 541 CE – 544 CE was caused by a bacterium known as “Yersinia Pestis”; the bacteria was carried around by fleas and spread by flea bites. Once someone was bitten and infected with the disease, the microbes in the bacteria spread throughout the victim’s body without stopping. Later in 1347, The Black Death raised about 75 million deaths. Like the Justinian Plague, the same bacteria, “Yersinia Pestis”, was also responsible for The Black Death or bubonic plague. Rats carried the fleas that would then bite humans and infect them with the plague. However, the two epidemics weren’t related. Though, scientists were able to use The Black Death victims’ teeth to trace back the source of the bacteria, and both of the epidemics originated in China. There was little scientific knowledge back then and therefore, many deaths occurred. Today, the bacterium of the plague still exists! But thankfully for modern medicine, antibiotics can fight off most bacteria. Except for MRSA, which is resistant to the antibiotics. The plague really isn’t a threat to us today, but it is still relevant.
ReplyDeleteSebastian - The plague is a dangerous strain that has affected the world for a very long time. This plague struck in the year 541, under the reign of the Roman emperor Justinian, so it's usually called the Justinian plague. The emperor actually got sick himself but recovered. He was one of the lucky ones.Some of the estimates are that up to 50 million people died.The plague swept through Europe, northern Africa and parts of Asia. Historians say that when it arrived in Constantinople, thousands of bodies piled up in mass graves. People started wearing name tags so they could be identified if they suddenly collapsed.Given the descriptions, scientists suspected that it was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis — the same kind of microbe that later caused Europe's Black Death in the 14th century. The bacteria get spread by fleas. After someone gets infected from a flea bite, the microbes travel to the nearest lymph node and start multiplying. "And so you get this mass swelling in that lymph node, which is known as a buboe," says Wagner. "That's where the term bubonic plague comes from.""The biology of the pathogen no doubt could cause another pandemic if it weren't for the changes in human culture and medicine," Keim says.These days, though, antibiotics can quickly stop plague outbreaks in their tracks.
ReplyDelete50 million people were killed in 1541 under the Roman empire by the plague. The plague happened under the rule of the Roman Emperor Justinian. It was caused by a strain of bacteria, which spread by fleas. Humans would get bit by the fleas, causing the microbes to travel to the lymph nodes. This would then cause huge welt to form whats called a buboe. This was a bubonic plague that caused one of the most fatal disease in history. Black plague brought fear among Europe because In 5 years, it killed about 25%-45% of the population it came in contact with. This plague was caused by bacterial strains, similar to the Justinian plague.The Black plague was either bubonic, pneumonic, or septicemic, all causing certain death, which was spread by fleas. The fleas were on rats who transferred to a human as a source once the rats died. In the eighteenth century it hit Europe again, and once more in the twentieth century. This type of bacterial strain is very common to the one found in Arizona today. Even though there are outbreaks still today, modern medicine keeps us safe.
ReplyDeleteThe first recorded instance of the Plague took place almost 1,500 years ago in Rome. Under control of Justinian, the city became devastatingly infected with the disease. Not only did this sickness physically wound the Roman Empire, but it also led to it’s inevitable downfall.
ReplyDeleteAlthough the disease remained absent for quite a long time, it resurfaced in Europe during the 14th century. Much like in 541, the “Black Plague” was spread by fleas, specifically traveling on the backs of infected rats. As you may have guessed, it caused sickness, chaos, and more importantly, death to spread throughout Europe. The trademark of the bubonic plague was mass swelling of the lymph nodes, or buboes. Unlike the earlier plague, europeans wanted an explanation for their unfortunate circumstance, so they turned to religion. This faith led them to commit various dramatic actions to try to stop the spread of the sickness. But, the scary thing is that the plague is still around today.
Found in living humans in the Arizona desert, the plague still lives on today. However, we have vaccines that can, most of the time, fully heal the sickness. As long as the vaccines keep working, there is no fear of another outbreak. But, like other diseases, the strains tend to mutate and change, becoming unaffected by the vaccines. It is a small chance, but this disease still threatens to send us spiraling into madness, like we were two times before. But, humanity will always survive because there will be cases of natural immunity. For example, Emperor Justinian contracted the Plague himself and lived to tell the tale, in a time where there was no advanced medicines.
It all started with the Justinian Plague that sent the Byzantine Empire reeling back in 540 CE. It decimated most of its population and was spread by rats who were abundant at the time. Fast forward to the 13 hundreds when the Black plague begins in Europe. Similar to the Justinian Plague, the Black Plague wiped out a whopping 50 million Europeans. This time however the side effects varied ranging from large "buboes" to coughing up blood. After the blunt of the plague subsided, the people did they're best to alienate the people who had come in contact with it so as to not start the whole vicious cycle over. Finally it's 2014 and you would've thought it had completely gone away right? Wrong. The Plague still kills people today, thousands per year. While it could be dangerous if we were to ignore it, I don't see it as a major threat to humanity like is was along time ago.
ReplyDeleteThe plague that broke out around the time 541 A.D. was called Justinian’s plague. It was called this because The ruler of the Roman Empire at the time was Justinian. The Emperor also contracted the plague and recovered. It spread in a similar manner as the black death, through fleas. The fleas infected their hosts and target the lymph nodes and replicated. They were able to infect rats which helped carry it farther then it could by just one flea. Scientists discovered ancient burial grounds which contained bodies that were buried together like during the Black Death. They investigated and decoded strains of the bacteria which turned out to be similar to the Black Deaths genome. While Justinian’s plague strain of the plague died out, its relatives lived on and became the known strains today. Which is the Bubonic Plague.(still the black death). The scientific name of the bacterium is Yersinia pestis, while it is still around today, our significant medical knowledge prevents another major outbreak, thousands of people die from it every year.
ReplyDeleteWhile bacteria and disease continue to evolve and our technology grows to counter these evolution's, we continually weaken our own immune system by protecting ourselves from harmful diseases. currently few people have been vaccinated for the small pox disease, there is a threat that another small pox or related pox disease could erupt at some point soon. Soon as a relative term here, possibly within the next century or two if we don't take notice of our lacking defenses against less frequently vaccinated/ treated bacteria/viruses.
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