The cause of the Akiva disciples epidemic

Rabbi Akiva had twelve thousand pairs of students, from the city of Givat to Antipars. And they all died at the same time – because they did not treat each other with respect.
This is what the sages tell us in the Gemara. My question is, what is your position on the cause of the plague?
Do you think it’s possible that a deadly epidemic will break out just because people don’t act with respect?
What does this even tell us?