Plague of Justinian (541-542 A.D.)

Notable Pandemics

The Plague of Justinian occurred during 541 A.D. and was finally eradicated in approximately 750 A.D. This plague infected countries in the Mediterranean and was believed to have originated from China and India. The plague was transmitted by black rats that carried fleas which travelled in trade ships and infected individuals all around the world. It was believed to have caused 30-50 of million deaths throughout the world. Later on, it was determined that the Plague of Justinian was actually the bubonic plague. The symptoms of this plague included: fever, headache, chills, swollen lymph nodes, abdominal pain, gangrene. Modern science has determined the strain responsible for the Justinian plague known as Y.pestis; which is still present in about 200 rodent species, this means there is a chance that this bubonic plague can reemerge today.