Summer Bugs Bite: Bubonic Plague, Hantavirus, the West Nile Disease, and Lyme Disease - Essay Example

'Summer Bugs Bite: Bubonic Plague, Hantavirus, the West Nile Disease, and Lyme Disease' is a worthy example of a paper on the virus.
This article talks about the dangers that people are likely to face during the summer. The increasing numbers of ‘bugs’ found outdoors mainly cause these dangers (Marchione, Para. 2). The article enlightens the public on four main diseases, which are bubonic plague, Hantavirus, the West Nile disease, and Lyme disease. It talks about how the diseases are spread, symptoms, prevention, and areas of the United States where cases of the ailments have been reported.

The article does a good job of highlighting the key features of the illnesses. However, it leaves out key information in all the diseases. The article does not mention the microorganisms involved in causing the infections. For example, it does not tell us that Hantavirus is a viral infection and that camping plays a significant role in spreading it. It also does not tell us that West Nile disease is also a viral disease and that it is a possibly life-threatening ailment should it get into the brain. The article fails to tell us that the bacteria Yersinia pestis causes bubonic plague and that this disease can manifest in three forms, the bubonic plague, pneumonic plague, and septicemic plague (Plague: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia). In addition, infected humans can transmit the pneumonic plague (lung infection in bubonic plague) to one another leading to an epidemic. The article only states that Lyme disease is spread by ticks but does not inform us that it is a bacterial infection caused by Borrhelia burgdorferi.

The article does not tell us the treatment methods available should one be infected.   

Answers to Questions

Question 1

The topic presented enlightens the reader on ways of circumventing Hantavirus, West Nile disease, Lyme disease, and bubonic plague. It makes the reader aware of the animals that harbor the causal microorganisms of the four diseases.

Question 2

The information in the article has harsh implications on the lives of animal-kind. The article portrays animals as potential disease sources. Therefore, humankind has to do everything to ensure that animals such as rats, mice, mosquitoes, ticks, cats, and prairie dogs are out of their way. This also endangers the lives of animals that man keeps as pets since he now views them as a threat to his health. In addition, this information jeopardizes the man-pet relationship in the case of cats and dogs.

Question 3

Information such as the names of the microorganisms causing the diseases would be important in supporting the information given in the article. It would, in addition, be wise to include the methods of diagnosis and the available treatment options for the various diseases. The article ought to have mentioned whether the diseases were contagious or not.

Question 4

Vaccination of pets (cats and dogs) is an essential step in ensuring that they are free from diseases. Regular cleaning of the pests with a disinfectant is also crucial to eliminate pests such as ticks and fleas. This would help maintain the man-pet relationship with no hazardous consequences.

Question 5

The information both scares and benefits the reader. The reader would be scared of exploring outdoor activities because of the fear of coming into contact with infectious agents and contracting the said diseases. The reader would also profit from the information by making informed choices and taking precautions to prevent infection from the mentioned diseases. For example, this information would help people maintain extremely high standards of hygiene Read More