The first signs of the plague are similar to those of the flu. These include headaches, fevers, and sometimes muscle pains. These symptoms gradually worsen until buboes appear. Buboes are swollen tender enlarged lymph nodes that are usually first seen within the first few days after infection. The body's lymph glands are located near the armpits, neck, and groin. When buboes appear, they are generally localized to these areas and spread to other parts of the body as the disease progresses. The flu-like symptoms intensify and are compounded by the presence of more and more buboes. In many cases, vomiting becomes common at this point. Eventually patients will even begin to experience gangrene of the extremities and the face. Gangrene is the result of a large mass of tissue dying. When gangrene sets in, the patient’s likelihood of recovering plummets. Their death is almost certain at that point.
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