Accession Number:

ADA379617

Title:

Prevention and Control of Plague.

Descriptive Note:

Corporate Author:

ARMY CENTER FOR HEALTH PROMOTION AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE AURORA CO DIRECT SUPPORT ACTIVITY WEST

Personal Author(s):

• Harrison, F. J.

Report Date:

1995-09-01

Pagination or Media Count:

104.0

Abstract:

Plague can infect a wide variety of wild and domestic animals, although some species are much more susceptible than others. Plague is believed to circulate in small rodent populations such as mice, rats, and chipmunks, causing little mortality. Known, probable, and susceptible primary maintenance hosts of plague include rodent species that exhibit 1 Moderately high resistance to plague. 2 Broad heterogeneity to challenge with Yersinia pestis within a population. 3 Long multiestrous breeding season with successive multiple litters and high reproductive potential. 4 Short natural life expectancy and a high replacement rate of individuals in a population. Occasionally, populations of more susceptible mammals e.g., prairie dogs, rock squirrels and California ground squirrels are infected with plague. These rodents live, for the most part, in colonies covering large areas of land. When a plague outbreak within these colonial rodent populations occurs, the potential for human exposure to infected mammals and fleas increases greatly. Plague-susceptible rodents are called amplifying hosts because they are highly infective and enable the disease to spread rapidly.

Descriptors:

• *REPRODUCTION(PHYSIOLOGY)
• *PLAGUES
• HIGH RATE
• LIFE EXPECTANCY(SERVICE LIFE)
• MAMMALS
• RESISTANCE
• HETEROGENEITY
• HUMAN BODY
• CALIFORNIA
• EXPOSURE(PHYSIOLOGY)
• WILDLIFE
• LAND AREAS
• SEASONS
• SIPHONAPTERA
• YERSINIA PESTIS
• DOMESTIC ANIMALS
• BREEDING

Subject Categories:

• Medicine and Medical Research

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE