PlaguePrimer publishes general information about plague, how infections spread and how outbreaks are contained, for education only. It is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for advice, diagnosis or treatment from a qualified health professional.

In an emergency

If you think you or someone else may have a medical emergency, call your local emergency number now. Don't wait to read more here.

If you're worried about symptoms or exposure

Contact a doctor or your local health authority, and follow their advice for where you live. Their guidance comes first; anything on this site is background.

Never ignore professional medical advice, or delay seeking it, because of something you read on this site.

What our pages can and can't tell you

  • General, not personal. Our explainers describe plague and infection control in general. They can't tell you whether you are ill, whether you were exposed, or what care you need.
  • No treatment instructions. Where we mention treatment, we report only what WHO or CDC say in general terms, with the source named. We don't give drug names, doses or treatment plans.
  • Things change. Information about an ongoing event can change quickly. Each page shows the date we last checked it. Announcements from WHO and national health authorities take precedence over anything here.
  • No forecasts. We don't predict case numbers, spread or the outcome of the investigation in Irkutsk.
  • Hospital precautions. Our pages on infection control explain what hospitals do and why. They are not instructions for protecting yourself or caring for someone at home.
  • No clinical review. Pages are written by the PlaguePrimer team (see About). They are not reviewed by a practicing clinician.

We can't answer personal medical questions

We can't respond to questions about your own health or anyone else's. Please contact a doctor or your local health authority.

No professional relationship

Reading this site, or writing to us, does not create a doctor–patient relationship or any other professional relationship.

We link to WHO, health agencies, journals and news reports so you can read the originals. We are not responsible for their content, which can change after we link to it.

For the limits of our responsibility, see our terms of service. For how we choose and label sources, see sources and methods.