bubo

Buboes are a symptom of bubonic plague and occur as painful swellings in the thighs, neck, groin or armpits.{{Cite book|title=Plague: a very short introduction|last=Paul|first=Slack|date=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199589548|location=New York|pages=5|oclc=749871251}} They are caused by Yersinia pestis bacteria spreading from flea bites through the bloodstream to the lymph nodes, where the bacteria replicate, causing the nodes to swell.{{Cite book|title=Plague : the mysterious past and terrifying future of the world's most dangerous disease|last=Orent|first=Wendy|date=2004|publisher=Free Press|isbn=978-0743236850|location=New York|oclc=54034997|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/plaguemysterious00oren}} Plague buboes may turn black and necrotic, rotting away the surrounding tissue, or they may rupture, discharging large amounts of pus. Infection can spread from buboes around the body, resulting in other forms of the disease such as pneumonic plague.{{Cite journal|last=Isberg|first=Ralph R.|last2=Davis|first2=Kimberly M.|date=2014-09-18|title=Plague's Partners in Crime|journal=Immunity|language=en|volume=41|issue=3|pages=347–349|doi=10.1016/j.immuni.2014.09.003|issn=1074-7613|pmid=25238090|doi-access=free}}

Plague patients whose buboes swell to such a size that they burst tend to survive the disease. Before the discovery of antibiotics, doctors often drained buboes with leeches or heated rods to save patients.{{Cite journal|last=Nesfield|first=V.B.|date=1911|title=The treatment of bubonic plague by the immediate incision of the glands |journal=The Lancet|volume=178|issue=4601|pages=1262–1264|doi=10.1016/S0140-6736(01)42126-X}}

Buboes are also symptoms of other diseases, such as chancroid and lymphogranuloma venereum.{{Cite journal|last=Lewis|first=D. A.|date=2003-02-01|title=Chancroid: clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management|journal=Sexually Transmitted Infections|language=en|volume=79|issue=1|pages=68–71|doi=10.1136/sti.79.1.68|issn=1368-4973|pmc=1744597|pmid=12576620}}{{Cite book|title=Atlas of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS|last=Morse|first=Stephen A.|last2=Holmes|first2=King K.|last3=Moreland|first3=Adele A.|last4=Ballard|first4=Ronald C.|date=2011|publisher=Saunders/Elsevier|isbn=9780702047640|edition=4th|location=Edinburgh|oclc=761212082}} In these conditions, a two-week course of antibiotics is the recommended treatment, and incision and drainage or excision of the swollen lymph nodes is best avoided.{{Cite web|url=https://www.who.int/hiv/pub/sti/en/STIGuidelines2003.pdf#page=23 |title=Guidelines for the Management of Sexually Transmitted Infections. February 2004: 2. TREATMENT OF STI-ASSOCIATED SYNDROMES: 2.2. Genital ulcer: Inguinal bubo|website=apps.who.int|access-date=2019-02-13}} However, aspiration may sometimes be performed to prevent buboes from rupturing.{{Cite journal|last=Lewis|first=David A|date=2014|title=Epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of Haemophilus ducreyi – a disappearing pathogen?|journal=Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy|language=en|volume=12|issue=6|pages=687–696|doi=10.1586/14787210.2014.892414|pmid=24597521|issn=1478-7210}} Although incision and drainage yields better results in such cases—since usually no further intervention is necessary, whereas repeat aspirations may be required—incision and drainage wounds may heal more slowly, increasing the risk of secondary infection.

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Category:Symptoms and signs: Skin and subcutaneous tissue