Final answer:
The Bubonic plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, was responsible for the Black Death pandemic. Modern antibiotics effectively treat this disease, and current annual cases are relatively rare with 1,000 to 3,000 reported worldwide.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Bubonic plague is a disease caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. This pathogen was responsible for one of history's most devastating pandemics, known as the Black Death, which occurred between 1346 and 1361. Researchers have used modern scientific tools to analyze the DNA of victims from the 14th century, which provided insights into the course and impact of historical pandemics.
The bubonic plague is characterized by symptoms such as fever, nausea, and the development of buboes. Despite having a historically high mortality rate, today the disease can be effectively treated with modern antibiotics, making outbreaks less deadly. The bacterium primarily spreads to humans through the bite of infected fleas that live on rodents.
Although the Black Death significantly reduced the world's population at that time, from an estimated 450 million to 350-375 million people, contemporary plague cases are quite rare, with only about 1,000 to 3,000 cases reported annually worldwide.