The Return of the Black Death

[snooper2]

VICE

Published on Oct 6, 2014
Check out the next VICE Reports: Dog Days of Yulin - http://bit.ly/1rSbnI2

The black plague has broke out in Madagascar. In late 2013, a deadly outbreak of the plague hit small villages around the country killing dozens of people. Rumored to have taken root in overcrowded prisons, the disease has flourished amid Madagascar’s increasing poverty and poor waste management. Antibiotics to treat the disease have been developed and are available in most countries, but Madagascar’s rudimentary healthcare system has left a number of people stranded without care.

[hobbit709]

1. It's never really left. Hits about 2 dozen a year here in the U.S.

[kestrel91316]

2. Yup. Doxycycline.

Physicians in plague endemic areas are supposed to always be on the lookout for it. If antibiotics are used early enough, the infection amounts to nothing. The biggest problem is with physicians who fail to recognize the disease early enough to treat with success.

[bobclark86]

3. Get a cat.

For the scared Americans: It's spread by fleas on rats. Get a cat to eat the rats. Pick up your trash. If you get funny bumps in your crotch, call the doctor.

Pretty straight-forward if you, well, treat it. Which is the problem in developing countries for obvious reasons.