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Published on: September 30, 2021
Detection of enzootic plague foci in peninsular India
Shyamal Biswas1, Sohan Lal, Veena Mittal
1National Centre for Disease Control, Plague Surveillance Unit, 8 Bellary Road, Bangalore-560 003, India.
Abstract:
A continuous serological and bacteriological surveillance in rodents was carried out in peninsular India i.e. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu to detect the role of different species of rodents in the maintenance of active enzootic plague foci. Live rodents were collected from wild and ruderal/peri-domestic situations by digging and trapping for sera and organ samples. During 1989 to 2007 serological evidence of plague was detected in different species of rodents in peninsular India. Plague antibodies were detected in 243 sera samples in three different rodent species. Sero-positivity (0.042 percent) amongst rodents tested were found in Tatera indica cuvieri (Hardwicke) followed by Rattus rattus and Bandicota bengalensis. Regular plague surveillance work enhanced the possibility of detecting and delimiting plague foci and helped in implementing necessary preventive anti plague measures to prevent the occurrence of human plague.
Insights
Rodent surveillance in India detected plague antibodies in Tatera indica cuvieri, Rattus rattus, and Bandicota bengalensis. This continuous monitoring helps identify plague foci and prevent human cases.
Area of Science:
- Zoonotic disease epidemiology
- Veterinary public health
- Microbial ecology
Background:
- Plague remains a significant zoonotic disease globally.
- Rodents are key reservoirs for enzootic plague foci.
- Understanding rodent roles is crucial for disease control.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the role of rodent species in maintaining plague foci in peninsular India.
- To detect serological evidence of plague in wild and domestic rodents.
- To inform preventive measures against human plague.
Main Methods:
- Continuous serological and bacteriological surveillance of rodents from 1989-2007.
- Collection of live rodents from wild and peri-domestic environments.
- Analysis of sera and organ samples for plague antibodies.
Main Results:
- Plague antibodies were detected in 243 rodent sera samples across three species.
- Sero-positivity was highest in Tatera indica cuvieri (0.042%), followed by Rattus rattus and Bandicota bengalensis.
- Evidence of active enzootic plague foci was identified.
Conclusions:
- Rodents, particularly Tatera indica cuvieri, play a role in maintaining enzootic plague.
- Ongoing surveillance is effective in detecting plague foci.
- Surveillance facilitates timely implementation of anti-plague measures to prevent human infections.
