Pneumonic Plague (Noun)
Meaning
A rapidly progressive and frequently fatal form of the plague that can spread through the air from person to person; characterized by lung involvement with chill, bloody expectoration and high fever.
Classification
Nouns denoting natural processes.
Examples
- The outbreak of pneumonic plague in the small town quickly spread from person to person, leaving many residents terrified for their lives.
- Experts believe that pneumonic plague can spread rapidly in densely populated areas due to the bacteria being able to be transmitted through respiratory droplets.
- If left untreated, pneumonic plague is often fatal within a week, with victims usually dying from respiratory failure due to severe infection of the lungs.
- A highly virulent form of the disease, pneumonic plague was a leading cause of the infamous Black Death in medieval Europe that claimed millions of lives.
- Modern antibiotic treatment is essential to control and contain the spread of pneumonic plague outbreaks and can help improve patient outcomes and save lives if given early and quickly enough.