Home | Safercar -- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Black Death Spread of the Black Death in Europe (1346–53) The Black Death is thought to have originated in the arid plains of central Asia, where it then travelled along the Silk Road, reaching the Crimea by 1343.[6] From there, it was most likely carried by Oriental rat fleas living on the black rats that were regular passengers on merchant ships. Spreading throughout the Mediterranean and Europe, the Black Death is estimated to have killed 30–60% of Europe's total population.[7] In total, the plague reduced the world population from an estimated 450 million down to 350–375 million in the 14th century. The aftermath of the plague created a series of religious, social, and economic upheavals, which had profound effects on the course of European history. Chronology Origins of the disease Plague was reportedly first introduced to Europe at the trading city of Caffa in the Crimea in 1347. European outbreak There appear to have been several introductions into Europe. Middle Eastern outbreak Symptoms Naming
Epidemics and Pandemics: Their Impacts on Human History - J. N. Hays Black Plague: The Least You Need to Know The Black Plague: The Least You Need to Know This page is under construction! Q: What was it? A: Most scholars think the Black Plague was a bacterial strain of Yersinia pestis. Q: Does it have other names? A: Today, it's best known as the Black Death or the bubonic plague. Q: Where did it come from? A: The first historical record of bubonic plague is in Central Asia in 1338/39. Q: How it is transmitted? A: Fleabite transmits common plague bacteria. Once the bacteria have built up in the human body, there is a small but documented chance of it evolving into an airborne version (the "pneumatic strain") that infiltrates the blood vessels in the lungs. Q: What are the symptoms? A: Fever, trembling, weakness, and profuse sweating are initial symptoms of the bubonic version. Q: How long did the outbreaks last? Q: How bad was this infection? A: Very, very, very bad. In the twentieth-century, it became possible to treat the Black Plague with antibiotics. A: They were mixed.