Plague
In short
Plague is a very serious disease caused by certain types of bacteria. It can spread between animals and humans and often causes severe illness or death.
In plain words
A plague happens when tiny germs called bacteria enter a person's body. These germs often travel from fleas that live on animals like rats. Once inside a person, the bacteria can attack the lymph nodes, the lungs, or the blood, making the person very unwell very quickly.
A simple example
In history, many people died during the Black Death. This happened because rats carrying infected fleas moved into towns, and the fleas then bit humans, passing the sickness to them.
Why it matters
It is important to understand plague because it is a dangerous disease that can spread quickly if not controlled. Doctors and scientists work hard to stop it using modern medicines like antibiotics.
Easy to mix up
People sometimes mix up plague with a common cold or the flu. While those illnesses are also spread by germs, a plague is much more deadly and affects different parts of the body in a much more violent way.