College of Physicians of Romania: Plague is treatable with rapid diagnosis

The Infectious Diseases Commission of the College of Physicians of Romania has issued guidance regarding the plague, noting that the disease is treatable with antibiotics if diagnosed promptly. Caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, the plague is a zoonotic disease often transmitted to humans via infected fleas from rodents, though the pneumonic form can spread between humans through respiratory routes.

There are three primary clinical forms of the disease: bubonic, characterized by swollen lymph nodes; septicemic, which is a systemic infection; and pneumonic, which affects the lungs. While the bubonic form has a mortality rate of approximately 30% to 60% without treatment, the pneumonic and septicemic forms are nearly always fatal if not addressed immediately.

Although the plague caused massive historical pandemics, it remains endemic in certain regions. According to World Health Organization data, the highest number of cases between 2019 and 2025 were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar.