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Plague in Central Java, Indonesia

J E Williams, B W Hudson, R W Turner

    Bulletin of the World Health Organization
    |January 1, 1980
    PubMed

    Insights

    Plague outbreaks in Java between 1968-1974 were linked to infected fleas and rats in mountain villages. Continued surveillance is vital due to the persistence of Yersinia pestis, the plague bacterium.

    Area of Science:

    • Zoonotic diseases
    • Epidemiology
    • Microbiology

    Background:

    • Human plague cases were documented in Boyolali Regency, Central Java, from 1968 to 1970.
    • Rodent plague investigations confirmed the persistence of Yersinia pestis in the region between 1972 and 1974.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the persistence and transmission dynamics of plague in Central Java.
    • To identify the sources and risk factors associated with human plague infections.

    Main Methods:

    • Field investigations involving the collection of infected fleas and rodents.
    • Isolation and identification of Yersinia pestis from environmental samples.
    • Serological testing of rodent populations to assess plague prevalence.

    Main Results:

    • Yersinia pestis was isolated from fleas (Xenopsylla cheopis, Stivalius cognatus) and rats (Rattus rattus diardii, R. exulans ephippium).
    • Human and rodent plague incidence peaked from December to May at elevations above 1000 m.
    • Fleas infected with Y. pestis, particularly those with a unique electrophoretic phenotype, posed the major risk to humans, with infected fleas frequently found in houses.

    Conclusions:

    • Rodent plague, introduced in 1920, had persisted in the Boyolali Regency for at least 54 years.
    • The findings underscore the need for ongoing plague surveillance in the region.
    • Environmental and host factors, including specific flea vectors and elevations, are critical for plague transmission.

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