Yersinia pestis

Yersinia pestis is the bacterium responsible for the legendary Black Death, a fearsome disease that has left its mark on history, especially in the Middle Ages! Transmitted by the bites of infected fleas living on healthy rodents such as rats (the perfect reservoirs!), it can also be spread by direct contact or droplets in the case of the pulmonary form (the most serious and contagious).

Once inside the body, Y. pestis is discreet. Thanks to its protective capsule, it evades our immune system, multiplies without alerting anyone, then uses our immune cells as taxis to reach the lymph nodes... where it prepares its next attack!

The plague can take three dreaded faces :

• Bubonic : (most common): fever, chills, fatigue, and especially swollen and very painful lymph nodes, called buboes.
• Septicemic : If the bacteria enters the bloodstream, it releases toxins that cause organ failure and necrosis (extremities turn black!).
• Pulmonary : attack of the lungs, with coughing up blood and difficulty breathing, highly contagious, it can be fatal without rapid treatment.

The good news? Antibiotics are effective if given on time ! And to prevent infection : avoid fleas, watch for rodents, and wear a mask if there's a risk (in the case of pneumonic plague). Such a legendary bacterium... deserves a place in your sticker collection! The Yersinia pestis sticker is available now in our shop!

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PUN: I'm pest and furious!

PUN 2: I'm simply the pest! Better than all the rest!