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Symptoms of Plague

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Symptoms of plague may include fever, chills, headache, rapidly progressive weakness, as well as painful swollen regional lymph nodes (buboes).

Septicemic plague may be accompanied by low blood pressure, acute respiratory distress, and problems with blood clotting.

Pneumonic plague may include cough, fever, shortness of breath, and coughing up blood.

Plague is a very serious illness and can progress rapidly. If you have reason to believe that you may have plague, you should immediately consult with your health care provider. Plague can be treated, but treatment is most effective when provided early in the illness.

The incubation period for plague is two to six days for bubonic plague and two to four days for primary pneumonic plague.

Plague Symptoms

• Fever

• Chills

• Headache

• Rapidly progressive weakness

• Painful swollen regional lymph nodes (buboes)

Additional Symptoms, Septicemic

• Low blood pressure

• Acute respiratory distress

• Problems with blood clotting

Additional Symptoms, Penumonic

• Fever

• Cough

• Shortness of breath

• Coughing up blood

Incubation Period

• 2 to 6 days for bubonic plague

• 2 to 4 days for primary pneumonic plague.

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