Bubonic plague


 * For the IDW Publishing comic of similar title, see Black Death White Life.

The bubonic plague — known informally as the black death and clinically as yersinia pestis (IDW: Black Death White Life) — was a devastating disease which originated from the Middle Ages, and was spread by rats and fleas, due to the poor cleanliness in that age. It was also noted that the plague was personified by the being known as Death.

A group of escaped Terileptils planned to spread a genetically engineered strain with rats in order to eliminate the human race. The Doctor defeated them, eliminating the storage of viruses in the Great Fire of London, which was unintentionally created whilst fighting the Terileptils. (DW: The Visitation)

Toshiko Sato and Owen Harper at one time investigated a quarantined hospital which was struck by the plague, which was introduced by a patient who came through the rift from the 14th century. (TW: End of Days)

14th century
Durac, also known as Death, appeared during a bubonic plague outbreak in Cardiff until one brave girl fought him to a standstill. (TW: Dead Man Walking)

16th century
William Shakespeare's son Hamnet was a victim. It was grief over his death that brought Shakespeare to his lowest emotional ebb. (DW: The Shakespeare Code)

17th century
Barnaby's parents were killed by bubonic plague. (VG: The Gunpowder Plot) In 1666, escaped Terileptil convicts created a deliberately more virulent variant on the black death in order to infect rats with it so as to spread it to humans. A fire started at the Terileptil base set London ablaze helping cleanse the area partially of infection. The Terileptils dressed their android up as the Grim Reaper to frighten the townsfolk. (DW: The Visitation)

21st century
When the Cardiff rift was opened, people with the black death fell through time into Cardiff. (TW: End of Days)