Bubonic Plague Cases Spark Recognition and Health Concerns
A woman's recollection of her family's battle with the plague in New York City resurfaces amid reports of a suspected death from the disease in Russia.
The sudden onset of high fever, headache, and debilitating chills can be symptoms of the bubonic plague. This recollection comes as reports surface of a suspected death from plague of a 28-year-old laboratory technician in Russia.
Lucinda Marker experienced a sense of recognition upon hearing the news, recalling a harrowing ordeal her family endured. In 2002, Marker and her husband, John Tull, became the first individuals diagnosed with bubonic plague in New York City in a century. Their experience serves as a stark reminder of the disease's potential re-emergence and its severe consequences.
Maker is currently working on a book detailing their ordeal, a project she and Tull had begun together.
The plague, a bacterial infection typically transmitted by fleas, can cause severe illness. In the case of Marker and Tull, the infection led to drastic medical interventions. Both of John Tull's feet required amputation, and he underwent further surgery to reshape his legs to accommodate prosthetic limbs. The severity of their illness underscores the critical nature of prompt diagnosis and treatment for plague.
