Which form of plague is characterized by rapid onset of symptoms and is highly contagious?

Pneumonic plague is characterized by a rapid onset of symptoms and is highly contagious, primarily because it affects the lungs. This form occurs when the bacteria, Yersinia pestis, infect the respiratory system, leading to symptoms such as cough, fever, and difficulty breathing within just a few days of exposure. Because it can be transmitted from person to person through respiratory droplets, it poses a significant public health risk, particularly in outbreak situations.

In contrast, bubonic plague typically presents with symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes (buboes), fever, and chills, and is not contagious from person to person. Septicemic plague involves the infection spreading through the bloodstream and can occur as a complication of either bubonic or pneumonic plague, but it does not carry the same respiratory transmission risk. Common cold might have symptoms that can overlap with respiratory infections but is caused by different viruses and is not associated with the rapid severity or mortality that can occur with pneumonic plague. Understanding these distinctions is crucial in disaster nursing, especially in outbreak management and infection control scenarios.