A decade of plague epidemiology and control in the Western Usambara mountains, north-east Tanzania

Kilonzo, B. S.; Makundi, Rhodes H.; Mbise, Thomas J.

doi:10.1016/0001-706x(92)90067-8

Cited by 32 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…The findings from the current study corroborate their assertion as rodent fleas were found in abundance in environments where humans and rodent fleas are likely to get in contact. Association of plague infection risk and flea index is also supported by other studies in Tanzania (Kilonzo et al, 1992;Makundi et al, 2008) and elsewhere (Pham et al, 2009). Furthermore, Zimba et al (2011) reported that humans get infected with causative agent of plague when they enter zones with infected wild rodents, through activities such as cultivation and hunting.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

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Human activity spaces and plague risks in three contrasting landscapes in Lushoto District, Tanzania

Hieronimo

Gulinck

Kimaro

et al. 2014

Tanzania J Hlth Res

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Since 1980 plague has been a human threat in the Western Usambara Mountains in Tanzania. However, the spatial-temporal pattern of plague occurrence remains poorly understood. The main objective of this study was to gain understanding of human activity patterns in relation to spatial distribution of fleas in Lushoto District. Data were collected in three landscapes differing in plague incidence. Field survey coupled with Geographic Information System (GIS) and physical sample collections were used to collect data in wet (April to June 2012) and dry (August to October 2012) seasons. Data analysis was done using GIS, one-way ANOVA and nonparametric statistical tools. The degree of spatial cooccurrence of potential disease vectors (fleas) and humans in Lushoto focus differs significantly (p ≤ 0.05) among the selected landscapes, and in both seasons. This trend gives a coarse indication of the possible association of the plague outbreaks and the human frequencies of contacting environments with fleas. The study suggests that plague surveillance and control programmes at landscape scale should consider the existence of plague vector contagion risk gradient from high to low incidence landscapes due to human presence and intensity of activities. ____________________________________________________________________________________

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 65%

“…Some studies considered the importance of human presence in disease transmission (Kilonzo et al, 1997;Kamugisha et al, 2007;Makundi et al, 2008;Ben Ari et al, 2011). A number of studies have already found a link between flea index and plague outbreak and persistence (Kilonzo et al, 1992;Makundi et al, 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human activity spaces and plague risks in three contrasting landscapes in Lushoto District, Tanzania

Hieronimo

Gulinck

Kimaro

et al. 2014

Tanzania J Hlth Res

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“…), and the striped grass mouse ( Lemniscomys striatus ). [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] These rodents are often infested with flea species that are capable of transmitting plague bacteria including Xenopsylla cheopis , X. brasiliensis, Dinopsyllus lypusus, Ctenophthalmus cabirus, and occasionally Ctenocephalides felis . 7,[10][11][12][14][15][16][17][18][19][20] In this study, we sought to 1) describe flea-host associations within a plague-endemic region of Uganda, 2) compare flea loads between villages with or without a history of reported human plague cases and between sampling periods, and 3) determine vector loads on small mammal hosts in domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic settings.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Flea Diversity and Infestation Prevalence on Rodents in a Plague-Endemic Region of Uganda

Amatre¹,

Babi²,

Enscore³

et al. 2009

The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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Abstract. In Uganda, the West Nile region is the primary epidemiologic focus for plague. The aims of this study were to 1) describe flea-host associations within a plague-endemic region of Uganda, 2) compare flea loads between villages with or without a history of reported human plague cases and between sampling periods, and 3) determine vector loads on small mammal hosts in domestic, peridomestic, and sylvatic settings. We report that the roof rat, Rattus rattus , is the most common rodent collected in human dwellings in each of the 10 villages within the two districts sampled. These rats were commonly infested with efficient Y. pestis vectors, Xenopsylla cheopis and X. brasiliensis in Arua and Nebbi districts, respectively. In peridomestic and sylvatic areas in both districts, the Nile rat, Arvicanthus niloticus , was the most abundant rodent and hosted the highest diversity of flea species. When significant temporal differences in flea loads were detected, they were typically lower during the dry month of January. We did not detect any significant differences in small mammal abundance or flea loads between villages with our without a history of human plague, indicating that conditions during inter-epizootic periods are similar between these areas. Future studies are needed to determine whether flea abundance or species composition changes during epizootics when humans are most at risk of exposure.

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“…96 Since 1983, outbreaks of human plague have occurred almost nonstop, which had not been the case for the previous 30-year period. 18,23,24,32,[50][51][52]66,67,78,85,[97][98][99][100][101][102] In Uganda, the earliest documented cases of plague were recorded by missionaries in 1877. 103 During the first half of the 20th century, the main plague foci in Uganda were localized in the Ituri forest, around Lake Albert, Burungu Island in Lake Victoria, Rubaga hill near Kampala and the Kyaggwe areas in the districts of Mukono, Masaka, Rakai, Pallisa, Tororo, and Busia.…”

Section: Lotfymentioning

confidence: 99%

Current perspectives on the spread of plague in Africa

Lotfy¹

2015

RRTM

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Plague is a zoonotic disease which has been responsible for a number of high-mortality epidemics throughout the recorded human history. This review was carried out with the aim of evaluating the current situation of human plague in Africa. The disease was reported from at least 28 countries in the continent, among them eight countries are currently with active human foci. The Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar are the countries with the highest endemicity in the world. A unique gathering of factors involved in the disease re-emergence in other parts of the world is present in Madagascar. The risk factors affecting persistence and spread of plague in the country were briefly reviewed. Based on the data presented, it was concluded that all African countries should be concerned by the possible emergence/re-emergence of the disease. It is crucial to implement some preventive measures in these countries. These measures include surveillance of suspected natural foci, rodent and insect eradication campaigns, and public health education.

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A decade of plague epidemiology and control in the Western Usambara mountains, north-east Tanzania

Cited by 32 publications

References 4 publications

Human activity spaces and plague risks in three contrasting landscapes in Lushoto District, Tanzania

Human activity spaces and plague risks in three contrasting landscapes in Lushoto District, Tanzania

Flea Diversity and Infestation Prevalence on Rodents in a Plague-Endemic Region of Uganda

Current perspectives on the spread of plague in Africa

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