Pestilence typically refers to the bubonic plague, but nowadays it describes any highly contagious, infectious, virulent, and destructive disease. The bubonic plague was caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, which primarily infects rodents like rats. These rodents act as hosts for the bacteria, while fleas serve as the main carriers, transferring the bacteria between species. Fleas bite infected rodents and subsequently bite humans, thereby spreading the disease. Humans can also contract the plague by consuming infected animals, such as squirrels, particularly in regions like the southeastern United States. Once infected, a person can spread the plague to others through airborne droplets.The term "pestilence" is derived from the Latin word "pestis," meaning "plague." During 1348-1350, the "Black Death" claimed the lives of at least one-third of Europe's population. Due to the significant death toll caused by the plague, it has long been associated with death in literature. Geoffrey Chaucer, a 14th-century English poet, mentioned "pestilence" in "The Pardoner's Tale": "There came a secret thief men call Death, / Who in this country all the people slays, / And with his spear he split their hearts in two, / Then went his way without a word or two. / He has slain a thousand with this pestilence."Albert Camus, a Nobel Prize-winning French author of the 20th century, wrote "La Peste" (The Plague), a novel set in the city of Oran, Algeria, depicting an outbreak of a lethal plague epidemic.
