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Factors influencing the re-emergence of plague in Madagascar

Jennifer Alderson1, Max Quastel2, Emily Wilson3

  • 1Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, U.K.

Emerging Topics in Life Sciences
|December 1, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is re-emerging in Madagascar due to climate change, insecticide resistance, and human behavior. Addressing these factors is crucial for controlling future global outbreaks.

Area of Science:

  • Epidemiology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • One Health

Background:

  • Plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, is a globally significant infectious disease with a history of devastating pandemics.
  • Yersinia pestis cycles between rodent hosts and flea vectors, posing a zoonotic risk to humans.
  • Plague has been endemic in Madagascar for a century, with major outbreaks in the 1990s prompting the WHO to declare it a re-emerging disease in 2006.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted factors contributing to the re-emergence of plague in Madagascar.
  • To identify key areas of concern for future plague epidemics in the region.
  • To propose strategies for mitigating the risk of future plague outbreaks.

Main Methods:

  • This review synthesizes existing literature on plague epidemiology in Madagascar.
  • It analyzes the interplay of environmental, entomological, and socio-behavioral factors.
  • The study examines historical outbreak data and current trends.

Main Results:

  • Plague re-emergence in Madagascar is driven by a complex interplay of factors, including climate events, insecticide resistance, and alterations in host and human behavior.
  • Specific climate phenomena and changes in land use patterns facilitate rodent and flea population dynamics.
  • Reduced efficacy of vector control measures due to insecticide resistance exacerbates transmission risk.

Conclusions:

  • Effective control of plague in Madagascar requires a comprehensive approach addressing environmental, ecological, and social determinants.
  • Continued surveillance and integrated pest management strategies are essential.
  • Understanding and mitigating the drivers of plague re-emergence is critical for preventing future epidemics globally.
Keywords:
Yersinia pestisclimatedrug resistanceinfectioninsecticide resistancere-emergence

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